Once Again, I Swam A Mile for Women with Cancer

Last weekend was the Swim-A-Mile for Women with Cancer.  For my 17th year, I participated in the swim and completed the entire mile…all 72 laps/lengths of the Mills College Pool.

Thanks to all my generous sponsors, I've raised over $3600 for the Women's Cancer Resource Center (WCRC) in Oakland, California.

There are very few fund-raising events that are swims. Swimming is the activity that I do most often and regularly throughout the year. I have swum with the Walnut Creek Masters Team since 1995 or 1996 (after all these years, I've lost count). Before that, I'd had a life in the water, learning to swim as a very young child by going to the beach with my family during the warm weather months.  Swimming has always brought me joy and energy. And, when I was being treated for cancer, I kept on swimming and made my swim buddies my support group.

Once again I shared a lane with Harriet and Janet, mother and daughter, respectively.

Janet, who is about to turn 40, has been a cancer survivor for nearly 8 years.

The three of us were among 630 people who did the swim over the two days of this past weekend.

Here we are ready to swim.

and get in the check-in line

After the Swim, we celebrated.

At the Swim, there is a wall where swimmers can post the names of those whom they honor and remember. I include names from those who sponsor me and and from my own ever-expanding list. This year I swam in honor of 33 people and in memory of 26 people. When I write up my name cards, I have hope that one day, cancer will just be a chronic disease that can be managed and allow those with it to live active full lives. 

The Women's Cancer Resource Center will still accept donations to sponsor me in this year's Swim-A-Mile.  Just go to WCRC's web site and type in my name in the "Search for swimmers" box. You can also read more about the swim and about WCRC on the web site. 

Maybe next year, you will join me in the pool the first weekend of October.