As most of you know, Swim Across America is my passion….I love everything about the organization and how many people’s lives have been saved by our collective efforts to find a cure.  

As most of you also know, last year was a tough one for our family…

We spent the spring and summer helping my husband overcome prostate cancer.  He had a radical prostatectomy in the summer, which was followed up with multiple trips to the emergency room with various complications for about six months….It was a lot for all of us to get through (it takes a village!) and I’m glad to say that he’s doing great!  

What some of you may not know is that in the fall, my sweetest sister and dearest friend, Jennifer, was diagnosed with metastatic (stage 4) breast cancer that had spread to her bones and lungs.  As we all know, cancer doesn’t discriminate…..Jen has been perfectly healthy her entire life and somehow, cancer chose her to mess with.  She is facing this challenge with incredible strength and determination and the good news is that she is in the best of care at Dana Farber and her cancer markers have been going down!!  It’s not an easy journey and she’s doing it with the most amazing grace!   

So — this year, I’ll be swimming for Jen…and Pete…..and all the others in my life that are battling cancer or whose lives have been impacted by cancer.  To make life even more interesting, in addition to doing the Boston SAA swim, this August, I am going to be swimming from Europe to Asia in honor of Jen – I am probably the most out of shape I’ve ever been (read: knee surgery, back issues, house fires….) - but I’m going to take it one stroke at a time and hopefully make it across!!   

So in addition to prayers that get me through my swim, I’d also love your support –

please click above to make a donation to support my efforts

—- or join my team, the Wavemakers - You don’t need to be in Boston to make a difference and can do the swim anywhere you’d like as a My Way Participant, so reach out and join me!!! 

Janel