On July 27, 2024, I will once again be swimming the 2K in the Long Island Sound on behalf of Swim Across America. Swim Across America, founded in 1987, has raised over $100 million dollars for cancer research. In 2023, there was an estimated of 1.9 million new cancer cases and 609,820 deaths in the United States. I joined the Swim Across America team to combat these daunting statistics with the support of Memorial Sloan Kettering.

Team Payne was founded in honor of my grandparents, Richard and Jane Payne who lost their lives to cancer. My grandmother Jane Payne began her breast cancer battle at the age of 46 and fought long enough to meet all 16 of her grandchildren. Just two years ago we lost Lindsey Payne Welch to pancreatic cancer, and in November of 2022 we lost my Uncle Brian to colon cancer.

I watched these battles in admiration and awe of the vulnerability, strength, and grace demonstrated by each of them in the most trying of times, but with painful awareness of our helplessness in each fight. My family came together during these times filled to the brim with love, appreciation, and compassion for one another and the Swim Across America community.

I am so very proud of every member of Team Payne, and I invite you to donate to this wonderful cause with confidence in the passionate community behind it and in search of a brighter future free of terminal cancer.

Thank you for the continued support!