Every 15 minutes, 50 Americans are diagnosed with cancer. 

Cancer is one the leading causes of death worldwide, affecting the lives of millions of individuals. While these statistics are undeniably disheartening, continuous advancements in treatment have helped people beat cancer and take back their health. As doctors and researchers continue to develop new cures and treatments for this disease, many groups and organizations across the nation have taken it upon themselves to contribute to the fight to end cancer.

Swim Across America (SAA) is a national nonprofit organization that raises money through swimming to fund money for cancer research and clinical trials. Since the first swim in Nantucket in 1987, SAA has expanded its footprint and impact all across the nation. There are currently 21 open water swims hosted in flagship cities throughout the country, all united under the shared mission to fight cancer. 

“When you get involved in a Swim Across America event, it becomes an extension of your family,” said Megan Melgaard, an SAA staff member. Megan has been involved with the organization since 2012 and currently serves as the Risk Manager. She helped to bring Swim Across America to Los Angeles, where the organization made its debut this year.

 In normal circumstances, flagship cities will host one open water charity swim every year where everyone in the community joins together to swim out as far as they can. Unfortunately, the global COVID-19 pandemic prohibited these in-person gatherings from taking place for the 2020 swims. But cancer doesn’t stop, so neither did Swim Across America. 

 “The mission will continue, and we will make waves to fight cancer,” Melgaard said. “We can do that on land, and we can do that in water.” 

Rather than forgoing the 2020 swims, the SAA staff and leadership team remained devoted to their mission and implemented a ‘Coast-to-Coast’ Virtual Challenge. This Virtual Challenge, which began in July and concluded in October, was an online experience tracking all participant activity and fundraising. Rather than solely focusing on swimming, this new virtual experience encourages any form of activity. Participants all track their active miles to collectively ‘travel across America’. Included in this mileage counter are cancer treatment hours for all those who cannot physically move, yet still remain dedicated to the most important mission of ‘making waves to fight cancer.’ Including all those who registered to participate in Los Angeles, participants in the ‘Coast-to-Coast’ Challenge traveled 7,686 miles across America. 

So far, the organization has raised $42,052 this year and expects this number to grow by the end of 2020. As with all SAA swims, money raised locally stays local–that’s why Swim Across America, Los Angeles has partnered with the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center to donate all proceeds and fundraising efforts from the Los Angeles community. 

“We are exceptionally thrilled to have UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center as a partner because they truly are that,” Melgaard said. “We have the same mission, and we look forward to swimming along with them for many years to come.” 

The UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center is the focal point for cancer research, clinical care, education and training, and outreach to the Los Angeles community. As one of only 51 comprehensive cancer centers in the nation, it serves as the nexus for anything cancer related, both within the Los Angeles community and nationwide. 

“Our work strives to be able to participate in advances that change the trajectory of cancer for individuals in our community, as well as developing the underlying basic and translational science to let us develop therapies and preventatives that advance our mission against cancer,” said Dr. Teitell, Director of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. “We are the most diverse county by so many different measures in the entire United States, so we are here to serve all people–we really want to be the place that people want to come to to get their prevention and their care.” 

Even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cancer Center has upheld its mission to treat and support anyone who comes in need of care. In the words of Dr. Teitell, “cancer can’t wait for a pandemic.” It is this unstoppable dedication and motivation to prevent cancer that aligns with the goals of Swim Across America. 

“We felt that it was a really good relationship,” said Melissa Fitzmaurice Neilgan, Chief Administrative Officer for the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get to do an in-person swim this year, but Swim Across America has been wonderful partners to work with. They are really great people, and they really care about cancer research–they really care that what they are raising is actually going to help people.” 

In addition to lack of sufficient funding and abundance of resources, one of the significant challenges that stands in the way of effective cancer research today is maintaining a trained workforce that is able to keep up with the rapid pace of progress and medical advancements. The partnership with Swim Across America allows the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center to support the bright, young minds who will shape the future of health research. 

“We are using these proceeds to fund Young Investigator Awards,” Neilgan said. “We really want to help launch some of our young investigators who don’t yet have their first grant from the federal government–the NIH–but need some research to work on those projects and get that preliminary data that they can leverage into a long career. It’s a gap that we identified that is a challenging part of a cancer researcher’s career, and we felt that this was an area we could really use these funds and really have a great impact.”

This partnership with Swim Across America will allow the next generation of health researchers to have the resources and support to stay motivated to continue cancer research. The Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center recognizes the power of youth to make a difference and supports SAA’s mission in engaging this young demographic to make a difference in their communities through fun activities and exercises. 

“Swimming transcends generations,” Dr. Teitell said. “So if you want to think about the future of cancer care, that is in the hands of the young, just like all aspects of society.” 

Despite the event being virtual this year, Swim Across America and the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center look forward to continuing this relationship for years to come. This year has proven that even a global pandemic can’t stop the fight to end cancer; cancer doesn’t wait, so neither should we. 

“I want to thank all of the participants and supporters of this event,” Melgaard said. “I know it’s been tough, but we’re showing that together we can still make a difference, and we look forward to what the future of Swim Across America Los Angeles can do and the impact we can make.”