Swim Across America makes waves to fight cancer

The inaugural Swim Across America-Houston Open Water Swim benefiting MD Anderson raised more than $174,000 for Pediatric Oncology and Neuro-Oncology. Swimmers gathered May 4 at Alexander Deussen Park on Lake Houston for half-mile, 1-mile and 5-mile swims. Since its first event in Nantucket, Massachusetts, in 1987, Swim Across America has granted more than $80 million for cancer research and clinical trials through 20 open water fundraisers and more than 100 annual pool swims. Top individual fundraiser Claire Schoen, whose husband is a brain cancer survivor treated at MD Anderson, raised more than $19,500. Neuro-Oncology’s MD AnderSWIM team made the honor roll by raising more than $33,600. Among participants were Olympians Cammile Adams, Sandy Neilson, Ricky Berens and Craig Beardsley and Paralympian Mark Barr.