Beneficiary

Swim Across America, Inc., was founded in 1987 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research through a variety of swim-related events. In 1996, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston established the Swim Across America, Inc., Training Grants Fund for the Perini Quality-of-Life Clinic, which was designed to promote understanding of quality-of-life issues among clinical researchers. The money raised from this event will support this training grant fund.

"Dedicated to Discovery ... Committed to Care" is the mission of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, described by the National Cancer Institute as "one of the world's premiere cancer centers."

The Quality-of-Life Program was launched in memory of David B. Perini, Jr., who lost his eight-year battle to cancer in 1990 at the age of 26. The Quality-of-Life Program was instituted in 1992 to address the health issues confronted by survivors of childhood cancer.

The program's mission is twofold. The first step is to help childhood cancer survivors, both children and adults, identify and address the risks and problems they are experiencing as a result of the lasting effects of their cancer treatments. The second is to support research aimed both at easing post--treatment effects and at improving treatment methods to prevent these effects in future cancer patients.