Nearly 220 swimmers of all ages and skill levels participated in Swim Across America's (SAA) first open water swim in the Lone Star State on Saturday, June 11, 2011, and raised more than $350,000 for the Innovative Clinical Trials Center at Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center in Dallas, the largest outpatient cancer center in North Texas dedicated to cancer care, research and education.
"We knew we set our sights high when we committed to our initial goal of $250,000," said former Olympian Daniel Watters, co-chair of the Dallas event and a veteran of SAA events.
"We were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the Dallas swimming community and can't believe we surpassed our goal by $100,000."
A local Rockwall resident was so inspired by the event and the work of Baylor, he gave a $100,000 donation at the event in memory of his wife, who received treatment at Baylor's cancer center.
Swimmers from throughout Texas, California, Florida and Massachusetts participated in this inaugural event at Lake Ray Hubbard in Rockwall, Texas, and ranged in age from 11 to 82 years old. A special highlight of the day was the participation of 13 former Olympic swimmers including gold medalists Jim Montgomery, Ryan Berube and Neil Walker, all from Dallas, who were joined by many cancer survivors. Former Olympic swimmers from Egypt and Nicaragua also participated.
Corporate sponsors included Bank of Texas, The Beck Group, Chobani Green Yogurt, D&J Sports Inc., the Doolan Family, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Luke's Locker, Mutual of Omaha, Orthopedic Associates, Southwest Airlines, Texas Oncology, Varidoc, Willis Fine Jewelry, and Xterra Wetsuits.
"We've wanted to bring SAA to Texas for a long time now," said Janel Jorgensen, Swim Across America president, and a silver medalist on the 1988 Olympic team. "We couldn't have assembled a better team to lead this event and we look forward to continuing to build the partnership between SAA, Texas, and specifically Baylor in the coming years."
"The money raised by Swim Across America is giving hope to the people we treat at the Innovative Clinical Trials Center, most of whom have exhausted the traditional forms of cancer treatment," said Dr. Alan Miller, chief of Oncology at Baylor Healthcare System. "We are thrilled with the partnership we have forged with SAA, which will help advance the treatment and care of those battling cancer."
To date, Swim Across America has raised more than $30 million for the fight against cancer by holding swimming events around the country. To learn more about Swim Across America and how we are "Making Waves to Fight Cancer," please visit www.swimacrossamerica.org.
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.
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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
