Swimmer Story

Why Do You Swim?

"I was asked to think about why I swim for cancer research, and I was unable to articulate it right away.  Even though this is my fourth year swimming to raise money for the Boston Harbor swim, and I have people for whom I have dedicated the swim, I don’t think I’ve ever put into words why.  Since that time, I’ve been giving it a lot of thought, so here goes….

•  I swim because I am tired of seeing children lose parents earlier than they should, parents lose children, spouses lose their partners, siblings lose their brothers and sisters, and so on.
• I swim because I continue to see the pain in my wife’s eyes even four years after losing her father to lung cancer.
• I swim because my child will have no chance of knowing their mother’s father, and it makes me mad that was taken from them.
• I swim because I get sad when I get an e-mail from a friend whose 30-something wife was recently diagnosed with lymphoma just months after giving birth to their second child.
• I swim because when I was 20 years old, Jimmy V inspired me with his courage and his unwillingness to give up.
• I swim because (with a few notable exceptions) cancer strikes without warning to people who have done absolutely nothing to bring it on themselves.  It’s a lottery nobody should win.
• I swim because with all the technology and intelligence available, we need to focus resources to crush this and other diseases. 
• I swim because people are generous, and all you need to do is inspire them to give to a cause.  If my jumping into the water and swimming does that, then it’s my obligation to do it.
• I swim because I lost my golfing buddy and mentor Carl to a brain tumor, and the tumor robbed him of the ability to play the last two years of his life. 
• I swim because I watched my friend Rob bravely battle cancer 3 times before he was 20 years old, and lose on the third try.  That’s more than should be expected of anyone.
• I swim because two of my cousins have battled breast cancer and won, and more women need to be able to say they beat it.
• I swim because I believe private funding will make the difference.
• I swim because I am inspired by the others who swim.
• I swim so that my child does not know the sadness that cancer brings."