Swim Across America Long Island Sound’s 30th Anniversary Events

Hundreds of swimmers made even greater waves this summer at Swim Across America Long Island Sound chapter’s open-water and seven pool events, raising a record-breaking $1.64 million for local cancer research, prevention and treatment. 

Swim Across America Long Island Sound chapter (SAA-LIS) was founded thirty years ago with only 17 swimmers, who raised $15K for the cause. Since 1992, SAA-LIS has grown to be the organization’s largest chapter whose swimmers now have raised over $23 million life-saving dollars.

“Unfortunately, everyone knows someone who has cancer or has lost a loved one to the disease,” says SAA-LIS Executive Director Tony Sibio. “We at SAA-LIS are a family of incredibly dedicated swimmers, kayakers, and volunteers, who participate year after year because we know we play a key role in helping to eradicate cancer forever. I couldn’t be more proud or thankful to our participants who over the years have continued to bring hope to those battling cancer.”

The fundraising activities of SAA-LIS have already had a profound impact.  The chapter was instrumental in funding some of the most exciting cancer news this year with the announcement of a clinical trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering which was published in The New England Journal of Medicine and showed a 100 percent success rate in treating patients in a phase 2 clinical trial for advanced rectal cancer with dostarlimab, an immunotherapy treatment produced by GlaxoSmithKline. The clinical trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering was funded by early-stage grant funding from SAA-LIS.

Proceeds from the swims support the Swim Across America research lab, Dr. Luis Diaz and the MSK Kids Department of Pediatrics at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; pediatric oncology research at Morgan Stanley Columbia University Medical Center; and patient services with Cancer Support Team.

Although the swim season is officially over for 2022, donations are always welcome and can be sent to SAA-Long Island Sound, P.O. Box 217, Larchmont, NY 10538.

“SAA-LIS has come a long way in the past three decades, but we won’t stop swimming and fighting until cancer is gone for good,” adds Mr. Sibio. 

Swim Across America, Inc. was founded in 1987 and has raised over $100 million for cancer research and prevention programs at the country’s finest hospitals and managed-care facilities. Since Swim Across America’s inception, it has grown from having a single event in Nantucket, MA, to 22 open water benefit swims across the country.

The Long Island Sound chapter was started in 1992 and has grown to be the largest in the organization, having raised over $23 million since its inception.

For more information about Swim Across America Long Island Chapter, call 914-769-8411 or visit www.swimacrossamerica.org/long_island.