22-mile relay raises funds for Dana-Farber and MassGeneral Hospital for Children
BOSTON, MA – Susannah Ford and Stefan McDonough of Somerville, MA will swim in the Boston Harbor alongside Olympic swimmers Heather Petri, Kristy Kowal, Carlton Bruner, Janel Jorgensen McArdle, Alex Meyer and Eric Wunderlich for the 21st annual Swim Across America Boston Harbor Swim on July 7, 2017 to support pediatric cancer programs at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology at MassGeneral Hospital for Children.
“Every year, swimmers of all ages come together for the Swim Across America Boston Harbor Swim to make a splash in the fight against cancer,” said Kitty Tetreault, event director, Swim Across America Boston. “Participants get to spend the day doing something they love while raising critical funds for pediatric programs at Dana-Farber and MassGeneral Hospital for Children.
The SAA Boston Harbor swim is a 22-mile relay style open-water swim beginning at 7 a.m. on July 7 from Rowes Wharf behind the Boston Harbor Hotel. A minimum fundraising pledge of $2,000 is required for individuals to participate.
Swim Across America is a non-profit organization that runs events from Boston to San Francisco to support cancer research at the country’s finest hospitals and institutions. At SAA, money raised locally stays local, ensuring that swimmers know their efforts will benefit their communities directly. Proceeds from the Boston-area swims benefit the David B. Perini, Jr. Quality of Life Clinic at Dana-Farber, where experts help pediatric cancer survivors with an array of issues, including long-term effects of treatment, social and psychological concerns and the risk of second cancers. Proceeds also benefit the continued research of David Sweetser, MD, chief of medical genetics at MGHfC.
Sweetser is focused on identifying novel and non-toxic therapies for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Funds additionally support programs such as art and music therapy and child life services that enhance the quality of life for the hospital’s youngest cancer patients.
To register, support a swimmer or learn more, please visit http://www.swimacrossamerica.org/boston.
About Swim Across America
Swim Across America, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to raising money for cancer research, prevention and treatment through swimming-related events. With the help of hundreds of volunteers nationwide and past and current Olympians, SAA is helping find a cure for cancer through athleticism, community outreach and direct service.
About Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
From achieving the first remissions in cancer with chemotherapy in 1948, to developing the very latest new therapies, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is one of the world’s leading centers of cancer research and treatment. It is the only center ranked in the top 4 of U.S. News and World Report’s Best Hospitals for both adult and pediatric cancer care.
Dana-Farber sits at the center of a wide range of collaborative efforts to reduce the burden of cancer through scientific inquiry, clinical care, education, community engagement, and advocacy. Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center provides the latest in cancer care for adults; Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center for children. The Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center unites the cancer research efforts of five Harvard academic medical centers and two graduate schools, while Dana-Farber Community Cancer Care provides high quality cancer treatment in communities outside Boston’s Longwood Medical Area.
Dana-Farber is dedicated to a unique 50/50 balance between cancer research and care, and much of the Institute’s work is dedicated to translating the results of its discovery into new treatments for patients locally, and around the world.
About MassGeneral Hospital for Children
With more than 300 physicians, 50 medical specialties and 15 surgical services, plus complete access to the resources of the world renowned Massachusetts General Hospital, MassGeneral Hospital for Children is dedicated to providing high quality, personalized, developmentally appropriate care for infants, children and adolescents. For more information, please visit: http://www.massgeneral.org/children.
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