Swim Across America, Inc.

Through the 1970s, a typical cancer treatment plan would include surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation. While these treatments might save a person, or delay further cancer complications, these treatments oftentimes have a drastic and negative effect (emotional, financial) on the quality of life for patients and their families.

In the 1980s, a small circle of cancer pioneers was seeking funding for a revolutionary concept that the immune system could fight cancer. The immune system as a cancer treatment was considered speculative and dismissed by most of the medical community. Established organizations and commercial companies weren't willing to provide seed funding for the research. No reputable organization was willing to invest dollars into immune system research as it was considered fringe medicine.

Enter Swim Across America. Established in 1987, SAA was willing to take a risk. Our founders were intrigued by the idea that the immune system had the potential in treating cancer. So beginning with our first charity swim in 1987 and through the 2000s, SAA granted the proceeds from our charity swims into immunotherapy research, and clinical trials, at hospitals such as Memorial Sloan Kettering and Dana Farber.

In 2011, our decades of funding belief were rewarded when the FDA approved immunotherapy treatment ipilimumab (Yervoy). In 2014, the FDA approved immunotherapy treatment nivolumab (Opdivo) for melanoma with further indications for non-small cell lung cancer, malignant pleural mesothelioma, renal cell carcinoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, urothelial carcinoma, metastatic colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, and gastroesophageal junction cancer. In 2016, the FDA approved immunotherapy treatment pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for colon cancer with further indications for melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, head and neck carcinoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, large B-cell lymphoma, urothelial carcinoma, gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, cervical cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma, and triple-negative breast cancer.

Our hospital partners regularly present to our Grants Committee ideas to advance treatment for sarcoma, leukemia, lymphoma, central nervous system, carcinomas, detection, and pediatric cancer (which is woefully underfunded). With the proceeds from our charity swims, we continue to provide grants for immunotherapy research, targeted therapy, cell therapy, CAR T, genetic testing, and new detection research. The advancement and sharing of this research have the potential to help nearly 20 million patients living with cancer experience a better outcome (less toxic) and better quality of life.

Through our Cancer Innovation Fund, individuals, family foundations, and corporate donations have the opportunity to do more. CIF grants can fund intentional projects per a donor's wish.

We have a signed agreement with every NCI and community hospital we provide a grant. The agreement ensures that 100% of our grant will be awarded to an intended project. This allows Swim Across America to serve as a watchdog/steward for grants and on behalf of donors. Our Grants Committee is comprised of renowned MD & PhDs who vet and recommend the most promising cancer research and patient programs for funding. Our Grants Committee also reviews progress reports to ensure goals and progress are being met. Our donors may choose to remain anonymous or publicly acknowledged (i.e. The ABC Family Cancer Research). We honor donors' wishes.

We are an expert in Cancer Innovation Funding (CIF):
1) Oncologists and corporations such as Merck have given public credit to Swim Across America for being an important (non-government) funder that played a critical role in the FDA approval of immunotherapy and other advancements.
2) Our agreements with research hospitals ensure maximum efficiency that 100% of our grants fund approved projects. Our donors are protected knowing that SAA is a watchdog over their donations and our grants.
3) More than 500 research oncologists previously funded by SAA from many cancer specialties graciously give their time to our Grants Committee. Our GC identifies, vets, and recommends promising projects and research leaders for a higher probability of success.
4) Our board of directors and other partners are eager to match CIF grants thus allowing for contributions to increase in multiple.
5) CIF donors get a personal relationship by meeting and touring the labs where the research and progress are occurring.
6) We aren't limited to one cancer type, our interest is in the most promising research that can lead to advancements in detection and treatment options.

Our decades of funding immunotherapy research and clinical trials was rewarded with the FDA approval of Opvido, Yervoy, and Keytruda.

We have also helped donors maximize their contributions. For example, In 2021, Ted Beisel passed from pancreatic cancer. The Beisel family wanted to make a donation that would support pancreatic research and early detection of pancreatic cancer. The Beisel family donated $150,000 to our Cancer Innovation Fund. Our board of directors contributed $50,000 on behalf of the Beisel Family. The Lustgarten Foundation contributed $400,000. The Beisel Family donation of $150,000 has been leveraged into $600,000 that is funding these pancreatic projects to honor Ted Beisel:

One (1) research project to better understand the correlation between cell metabolism and pancreatic cancer.
Two (2) team science awards with a specific focus on early pancreatic cancer detection.