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150 swimmers recently went for an open water swim, all for the sake of fighting cancer.
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If you happened to be taking a morning stroll on Kiawah Island’s beach near Night Heron Park on June 10, you might have noticed the 150 swimmers who took to the ocean for an open water swim, all for the sake of fighting cancer.
This spectacle was the 6th annual Swim Across America Charleston-Kiawah event, which attracts swimmers of all ages and levels. The event raises money for the Hollings Cancer Center at MUSC and has been dubbed “Make Waves to Fight Cancer” for a reason.
Event Director Jana Chanthabane explained the reason. “An estimated 40% of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lifetime. It's an honor being part of the Swim Across America team that creates tangible, positive outcomes to the lives and health of those affected in communities like Charleston and across the country.”
The event was held for the first time on Kiawah Island in 2018. Since then, this annual event has raised over $300,000 for the Hollings Cancer Center, which is one of the leading cancer treatment centers in the Southeast, located at MUSC in Charleston. This event specifically supports the Hollings Cancer Center Ferreira Lab, which is dedicated to designing and developing engineered immune cell therapies for autoimmune disease, cancer and aging.
“When we partnered with Kiawah Island Golf Resort starting in 2017, we were able to provide a world-class location to host our philanthropic charity swim every year to support cancer research in the Charleston Community," Chanthabane added.
The Kiawah Island Golf Resort echoed their excitement by hosting the event each year.
Liz King, the Golf Resort’s director of recreation, said, “We thoroughly enjoy working with Swim Across America. The entire organization is so passionate and dedicated to the cause. And the fact that the funds raised stay right here in Charleston at the MUSC Hollings Cancer Center — with which Kiawah Island Golf Resort has already enjoyed an enduring relationship through our Gourmet & Grapes event —makes this charity swim event more special.”
The Kiawah Island Golf Resort hosts a Gourmet & Grapes event, which also raises funds for the Hollings Cancer Center, every year in February at The Sanctuary. The 2023 event marked its 15th year, and, since that first event, KIGR has raised over $5 million for cancer research.
One aspect that made the 2023 Swim Across America at Kiawah Island different from previous years was the fact that they hosted a same-day pool swim for the first time at Night Heron Park. This was an alternative for those that prefer a pool swim, rather than an open-water ocean swim.
Swim Across America is a national nonprofit organization that has raised more than $100 million to fight cancer. They host more than 24 open water swims and charity pool events each year in various locations all across the country. The organization began in 1987 in Long Island, New York.
For more information, visit swimacrossamerica.org/Kiawah.
