Swim Across America – Dallas Open Water Swim Cel...

By Jeni Howard | Contributor

On Saturday, September 27, 2025, the shores of Lake Ray Hubbard in Rockwall, Texas, might be crammed with swimmers, Olympians, most cancers survivors, and supporters participating within the fifteenth annual Swim Throughout America – Dallas Open Water Swim, a milestone yr for one of many area’s most inspiring charity occasions – one which makes waves to battle most cancers. Proceeds from the swim assist most cancers analysis and scientific trials at Baylor Charles A. Sammons Most cancers Heart. Established in 2011, Swim Throughout America – Dallas has raised greater than $3 million for its native beneficiary Baylor Sammons Most cancers Heart and attracts greater than 450 contributors. Swim distances embrace ½-mile, 1-mile, and 2-mile open water programs, with a digital SAA My Method possibility for supporters collaborating from afar.

“This occasion is deeply private for many people,” mentioned Julia Brookshire, Swim Throughout America – Dallas occasion director and a most cancers survivor herself. “Fifteen years in the past, we launched the Dallas swim to assist life-saving most cancers analysis within the Dallas group. Right this moment, we’re not simply swimming for a trigger — we’re swimming for the folks we love, for these we’ve misplaced, and for survivors like me and so many others who’ve been given a second probability, due to new therapies which have been funded by our swims.”

Brookshire has been in remission from Persistent Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) since February 2024, and credit research-funded innovation like that supported by Swim Throughout America for serving to her battle and survive the illness. Now, she helps lead Swim Throughout America with ardour and goal, making certain that funds raised go instantly towards most cancers analysis, affected person care and scientific trials within the Dallas group. Julia can be the nationwide security director for all 26 Swim Throughout America open water occasions throughout the nation.

This yr the swim might be honored by a particular visitor speaker Chris White, who’s a most cancers survivor who’s right here at this time due to the facility of most cancers analysis — particularly most cancers cell gene remedy, the kind of therapies being funded by Swim Throughout America. Chris White, who calls himself a “survivor, “thriver”, and advocate,” was recognized in July 2018 at age 36 with a uncommon anorectal mucosal melanoma that shortly unfold from a rectal “lump” to his groin, lungs, liver and mind. After three surgical procedures, a number of rounds of chemotherapy, radiation, and three totally different immunotherapy regimens (Opdivo, Yervoy and Keytruda) failed, medical doctors suggested hospice in December 2019. Refusing to surrender, Chris secured emergency radiation to his mind so he might qualify, simply in time, because the final enrollee in a tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) cell-and-gene-therapy trial. He acquired his personalised infusion on Jan. 15, 2020, and by early 2021 scans confirmed a whole metabolic response. Right this moment he stays cancer-free and is a vocal advocate for wider entry to cell and gene therapies, describing TIL remedy as “successful the struggle, not simply the battle” towards most cancers.

Among the swimmers this yr are additionally most cancers survivors and a few of the swim’s prime fundraisers, together with Robyn Starnes, captain of Crew Fabulous, who was recognized with thyroid most cancers in 2014. Now in remission, Robyn has participated within the 1-mile swim for the previous 4 years and is celebrating 11 years cancer-free this yr by elevating an bold $11,000. Her staff, which incorporates associates and supporters, has raised greater than $30,000 for Sammons Most cancers Heart.

The three scariest phrases I ever heard had been: ‘You may have most cancers.’ However now I get to be a part of one thing hopeful. We’re working towards a future the place the subsequent phrases somebody hears are: ‘And there’s hope.’”

Robyn Starnes

“Despite the fact that I knew that most cancers was a risk, it nonetheless turned my world the other way up once I was recognized in 2014,” famous Robyn. “I felt damaged, like one thing was flawed with me. I’d by no means identified anybody my age, at simply 36-years-old, who had battled most cancers. Now, 11 years later, Robyn is a most cancers survivor and has discovered a brand new house and robust group of supporters in Swim Throughout America. And he or she wears her surgical procedure scar like a badge of honor.

Robyn added, “I doubt you realize anybody who hasn’t been affected by most cancers in a roundabout way. The three scariest phrases I ever heard had been: ‘You may have most cancers.’ However now I get to be a part of one thing hopeful. We’re working towards a future the place the subsequent phrases somebody hears are: ‘And there’s hope.’”

Wayne Vacek, at the moment the second highest fundraiser, is swimming in honor of Sunni Goodman, his sister-in-law’s sister who’s bravely battling most cancers. His staff, Crew Mustang, is made up of SMU Swimming & Diving alumni, and has raised greater than $300,000 for Swim Throughout America – Dallas since 2011, making them the highest fundraising staff within the swim’s 15-year historical past of creating waves to battle most cancers in Dallas.

Michael Smit, captain of Crew Mustang, is dedicating his swim this yr to his longtime school good friend, Kris Jensen, who’s battling Stage IV Mantle Cell Lymphoma, an aggressive and uncommon type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Smit is swimming in each the Dallas and St. Louis Swim Throughout America occasions to honor Kris and lift vital funds to assist analysis into difficult-to-treat cancers like his.

“Kris has the toughest half, preventing most cancers,” famous Michael. “My swim is the smallest a part of this occasion and my supporters are who make the distinction for these like Kris. Because of our company sponsors, each greenback raised goes towards most cancers analysis and scientific trials within the battle to discover a treatment, early detection and lengthen the lives of these preventing most cancers.” 

Nationally, Swim Throughout America holds open water swims in 26 communities – from Nantucket to below the Golden Gate Bridge, plus a whole lot of pool swims – and has raised greater than $120 million for most cancers analysis.

Funds raised assist analysis initiatives and scientific trials at Baylor Charles A. Sammons Most cancers Heart, serving to to advance early detection, focused therapies, and simpler therapies for sufferers in North Texas and past.

Nationally, Swim Throughout America holds open water swims in 26 communities – from Nantucket to below the Golden Gate Bridge, plus a whole lot of pool swims – and has raised greater than $120 million for most cancers analysis since its founding in 1987, serving to fund scientific trials that contributed to FDA-approved most cancers immunotherapies corresponding to Keytruda, Opdivo, Yervoy and Tecentriq. In 2024, Swim Throughout America supported a groundbreaking scientific trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering, which confirmed that immunotherapy alone might efficiently deal with sure varieties of most cancers. The nonprofit additionally awarded two first-of-their-kind gene enhancing innovation grants to Alliance for Most cancers Gene Remedy and Dana-Farber Most cancers Institute, accelerating analysis into safer and simpler therapies.

To register, volunteer or donate, go to swimacrossamerica.org/dallas, and comply with @dallassaa on Instagram and Facebook.