Swim Across America (SAA) - Charleston-Kiawah is once again making waves to fight cancer. Celebrating its 7th year, this year’s swim will be held Saturday, June 8, 2024, at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Night Heron Park on Kiawah Island to raise funds for the Ferreira Lab at Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina. There are three swim options available: a half-mile or a one-and-a-half mile open water option or a same day pool swim option. Participants can also join in virtually with “SAA My Way.” Boaters, kayakers, paddle boarders and land volunteers also participate in this inspirational event. To register as a swimmer or a volunteer visit swimacrossamerica.org/
Following the open water and pool swim, there will be a Pool Party with Olympic swimmers that includes fun contests, relays and instruction from Olympians and the Swim Across America team. All participants will receive a swim cap, tattoo and opportunities to win Swim Across America swag! This free event is open to all ages and participants are encouraged to bring friends and family. Mention Swim Across America at the gate if you're coming from off-island to attend. Learn more at swimacrossamerica.org/
Why does Swim Across America - Charleston-Kiawah swim to raise money in the fight against cancer? Cancer sadly touches everyone — whether it is a loved one or a friend, everyone knows someone who has been impacted by cancer.
In 2024, For the first time ever, the United States is expected to surpass more than 2 million new cases of cancer and 611,720 cancer deaths. These staggering statistics offer compelling proof of the need to continue devising new approaches to treatment. In fact, there are more than 18 million Americans with a history of invasive cancer who are alive today, who were diagnosed many years ago or now have no current evidence of the disease, thanks to new treatments. Whether it is through swimming, volunteering, donating or cheering on loved ones and friends, Swim Across America - Charleston-Kiawah welcomes anyone and everyone who wants to be a part of the fight against cancer.
Funds raised by Swim Across America - Charleston-Kiawah supports cancer research and clinical trials at the Ferreira Lab at Hollings Cancer Center at the Medical University of South Carolina. The Ferreira Lab is dedicated to designing and developing engineered immune cell therapies for autoimmune disease, cancer, and aging. To date, Swim Across America - Charleston-Kiawah has raised more than $400,000 to fight cancer since its first Charleston-Kiawah swim in 2018.
“The Swim Across America - Charleston-Kiawah open water swim is such an inspiring event,” said Jana Chanthabane, event director of the Swim Across America - Charleston-Kiawah open water swim. “The gathering of so many families and so many individuals who are honoring those who are special to them is incredible — whether they are currently battling it out, or survivors or have lost someone. To hear the stories and to learn about those whom cancer has touched and to experience that love is just palpable. The feeling of wanting to make a change and to do something for those who have experienced cancer is huge.”
Jana Chanthabane knows the impact of raising funds for cancer research first-hand. She is a cancer survivor herself after being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 35. As a young, fit, active mom of three kids all under the age of nine, Jana was not “new” to cancer. Her dad had thyroid cancer when she was a teenager and her cousin had just completed treatment for breast cancer when Jana was diagnosed.
“I remember being stuck with the feeling of needing to do SOMETHING to help my girls for the future, my family and other women that I love,” said Jana.
Swim Across America is a national organization and offers open water and pool swims in 24 communities, from Boston Harbor to under the Golden Gate Bridge. Founded in 1987, Swim Across America has raised more than $100 million in the fight against cancer.
Funds raised by Swim Across America and its grants have helped support the research and clinical trials for FDA approved immunotherapy medicines, including Keytruda, Opdivo, Yervoy and Tecentriq. Swim Across America is also a grant funder of the successful clinical trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering that 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. Swim Across America grants support more than 60 projects each year and there are ten named Swim Across America Labs at major institutions including: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, John Hopkins Medicine Baltimore, Rush University Medical Center Chicago, Baylor Scott & White Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center in Dallas, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York, Infusion Center at Nantucket Cottage Hospital, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland and San Francisco, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, The Swim Across America Pediatric Research Lab at Columbia University Medical Center New York, and at Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell Medicine.
More than 150 Olympians support Swim Across America, including Michael Phelps, Craig Beardsley (who was inducted into the International Swimmer’s Hall of Fame in 2022), Donna De Varona, Rowdy Gaines, Janel Jorgensen McArdle, Bobby Hackett, Ryan Lochte, Glenn Mills, Cristina Teuscher and many more.
To learn more about Swim Across America - Charleston-Kiawah or to register to swim, volunteer or donate, visit swimacrossamerica.org/
