Olympians and cancer survivors will join hundreds of swimmers of all skill levels for the fifth annual Swim Across America – Dallas events to raise money for the Swim Across America Innovative Clinical Trials Center at Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center at Dallas. Brought to North Texas in 2011 by Olympian swimmers, SAA—Dallas has contributed a total of $1.4 million to Baylor Health Care System Foundation.
SAA-Dallas provides a rare opportunity for swimmers of all skill levels to join the fight against cancer in their own community by diving into Lake Ray Hubbard and Town North YMCA's pool alongside past members of the U.S. Olympic Swim Team. Olympians and past U.S. National Team members participating in the 2015 event include gold medalists and former world record holders such as Jim Montgomery, Jill Sterkel, Daniel Watters, Andrea Dickson, Jeanne Cunningham, Neil Walker, Brad Bridgewater, Ryan Berube, Walter Soza, and more.
- Open Water Swim: Saturday, May 30th at The Harbor at Lake Ray Hubbard, featuring a new Iron Distance (2.4 miles), in addition to one-mile and half-mile distances.
- Pool Swim: Sunday, May 31st at Town North YMCA, featuring family-friendly pool swim for individuals and relay teams. Adding to the fun, the top pool swim fund raisers will be rewarded with the chance to swim on a relay team anchored by 1996 Olympic Gold Medalists Brad Bridgewater and Ryan Berube.
"In just four years since the inaugural Dallas swim, we have raised $1.4 million for innovative cancer research and treatment here in our local community, and we're pushing hard to reach the $2 million milestone," said Jeanne Cunningham, Swim Across America – Dallas co-chair and former U.S. National Swim Team member. "We have a special relationship with the team at the Swim Across America Innovative Clinical Trials Center at Baylor and are inspired by the advancements they are making every day in the fight against cancer."
"As both a participant in and beneficiary of Swim Across America – Dallas, I am inspired by everyone who has made these events so successful in supporting our mission to find a cure for cancer," said Dr. Alan Miller, medical director, Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center at Dallas and chief of oncology. "The event has played such an important role in helping establish our Phase I clinical trials center, we named it the Swim Across America Innovative Clinical Trials Center. With these increased resources and capabilities, we are bringing hope to more patients with difficult-to-treat cancers who have not responded to standard treatments, which also enables us to continuously develop new and better treatments that can benefit all patients."
To participate in the open water event, swimmers raise a minimum of $500, and $200 if they are under 18 years old. Pool Swim participants raise a minimum of $100 to participate. Participants may swim individually or as part of a team to honor friends and family that have been affected by cancer. Swimmers who pledge to raise a minimum of $1,000 for SAA are designated "Wavemakers" and receive additional prizes and recognition at the event. To learn more about how the Swim Across America – Dallas is "making waves to fight cancer," please visit WWW.SWIMACROSSAMERICA.ORG/DALLAS.
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Media Contact:
Matt Averitt
On behalf of Swim Across America
214.587.8130
matt@averittpr.com
Craig Civale
Craig.Civale@BaylorHealth.edu
cell: (817) 709-7067
About Baylor Scott & White Health
As the largest not-for-profit health system in the state of Texas, Baylor Scott & White promotes the health and well-being of every individual, family and community it serves. It is committed to making quality care more accessible, convenient and affordable through its integrated delivery network, which includes the Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, the Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance and its leading digital health platform – MyBSWHealth. Through 51 hospitals and more than 1,200 access points, including flagship academic medical centers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Temple, the system offers the full continuum of care, from primary to award-winning specialty care. Founded as a Christian ministry of healing more than a century ago, Baylor Scott & White today serves more than three million Texans. For more information, visit: BSWHealth.com