Swim Across America Nantucket Aims For New Fundraising Goal On Saturday
David Creed •
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After a record-breaking event last year where over $730,000 was raised, Swim Across America Nantucket returns for its 12th year this Saturday to help raise money that will be donated to Nantucket Cottage Hospital, Palliative & Supportive Care of Nantucket, and the Mass General Hospital Cancer Center.
“The buildup has been a little interesting because our swimmer numbers are about on par with what they were last year, which is great,” co-director Jim Pignato said. “It's a solid group of swimmers. The numbers that we have right now, it's very manageable and doable. But I feel like those who have been with us for a couple swims now have really started to buy in, and really start to understand what this event is about and what it's fundraising for.”
The fundraising goal that has been set ahead of the swim is currently at $700,000, however the organization is already on the cusp of surpassing that as of Friday evening with over $643,000 already raised. You can donate to SAA Nantucket by clicking here.
There are approximately 170 swimmers signed up as of Friday, as well as 14 runners – including Pignato – signed up for the Falmouth Road Race on August 18th representing SAA.
Registration and check-in will begin at 6:30 a.m. and run through 7:30 a.m. There will be a swimmer safety talk and “Why I Swim” Testimonials afterwards from 7:45-8:15 a.m. The opening ceremony and National Anthem will commence at 8:15 a.m., followed by the kid splash, ¼ mile and 1-mile swims at 8:20 a.m., 8:25 a.m., and 8:30 a.m. respectively.
Breakfast will be served at 9 a.m. courtesy of Island Kitchen, and the event will conclude with an awards ceremony at 9:20 a.m.
"The weather seems to be like pretty spot on, beautiful day,” Pignato said. “So that really helps. I think I saw single digit winds like four to five miles an hour, which is unheard of out here.”
In the afternoon on Saturday, there will be a four-mile swim that begins at 1:30 p.m. and it will run until 4:30 p.m. The 4-Mile Swim will be set on a two-mile course beginning at Jetties Beach (Beach Access #39) and traveling roughly 100 yards west of Washing Pond Beach (Beach Access #43). The course will be marked with swim buoys at the start of mile one and mile two.
Swim Across America arrived on island back in 2013 thanks to co-directors Jill Roethke and Pignato. SAA Nantucket has raised $5 million for their beneficiaries since being founded and continues to play a significant role in cancer research, as well as the ability to provide treatment to cancer patients at Nantucket Cottage Hospital who live on island.
The Current featured one of those patients earlier this week in Duncan Richardson, who was diagnosed with stage IV esophageal cancer two years ago, treated on-island, and on Saturday will be swimming in the event for the first time.
“I’m really not supposed to be here,” said Richardson, who has been visiting the island for over 35 years and owned a home on-island for two decades. “This is one of the worst ones, so I am a very grateful guy. I’ve been lucky in life and was dealt this pretty bad hand, but thanks to all the research that has been done and the development of all these immunotherapy drugs, I am here.”
"What the Swim Across America folks do, and what they give to cancer patients like me and their families, is they give them hope," Richardson added.
Richardson received treatment at the Nantucket Cottage Hospital’s infusion center, which opened in 2019 thanks to funding from Swim Across America Nantucket. It included the immunotherapy drug Opdivo (nivolumab), which was developed in a Swim Across America supported research lab, and biweekly chemotherapy infusions.
You can read the full story on Richardson here. You can donate and help them shatter their fundraising goal for 2024 by clicking here.
You can learn more about each of the programs receiving money below. The information is courtesy of Swim Across America Nantucket’s official website.
Nantucket Cottage Hospital Program Details:
“This program allows island cancer patients to receive oncology services at Nantucket Cottage Hospital (NCH) rather than the mainland, saving them from burdensome and expensive travel while suffering from cancer. With the collaboration between the Mass General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center and NCH's oncology department, patients are able to receive an academic level of care in a rural community hospital.
“The MGH link also brings access to breakthrough and state of the art technologies, drug therapies and clinical trials that would not be available to a rural community hospital. The program brings a team of cancer specialists to the island every week for patient consultations. In addition, a Board-Certified Advanced Practice Oncology Registered Nurse is on-site to see cancer patients five days a week. Services, including chemotherapy, are performed at the Swim Across America Infusion Center at NCH.”
Palliative and Supportive Care of Nantucket Program Details:
“This program provides direct care and services to patients and families who are coping with cancer. Care is provided through a Nurse Practitioner, a part time RN-Nurse Specialist, a Palliative Care Counselor, Social Workers, Program Assistant, Chaplain, Medical Director, and volunteers and is provided in any setting. Cancer support groups are also conducted twice/month. Services are provided free of charge and are fully supported through donations and grants. PASCON staff works directly with the NCH oncology staff to ensure the needs of all patients are being met.”
Mass General Cancer Center Program Details:
“Proceeds from SAA-Nantucket will support the research of Dr. Bryan Choi, MD, PhD., who specializes in surgical care for patients with benign and malignant brain tumors. He also leads a research laboratory with the goal of developing the next generation of cell therapies and clinical trials in neuro-oncology. Learn about Dr. Choi's research on our blog.”