The 2015 Boise State Swimming and Diving team is made up of 25 girls who are determined to make a difference in the fight against cancer. As a team we decided to participate in Swim Across America in honor of family and friends who have been touched by cancer, as well as one of our own teammates who is a thyroid cancer survivor.

Our team “Cheating the Reaper” is joining the battle against cancer because one more healthy, risk free person was stricken with cancer. This time, it is Greg, a 63 year old health conscious athlete that has tried hard to minimize his risks for cancer. But cancer isn’t fair. It doesn’t care that you have followed the rules.

It is hard to find comfort with what my husband, Greg, is up against. And then you remember. It isn't just Greg. It was a beloved brother-in-law, Scott. Several wonderful uncles. My own mother and sister were treated at SCCA for Lymphoma. We think of our children, and realize the horrors many parents have faced. There is only one direction that makes sense…research.

Heartfelt thanks to all who have contributed to the Seattle Open Water Swim. And thank you to Swim Across America for making this outreach effort possible.

We swim not only in memory of our incredible Aunt/Friend/Sister/Mom/Co-worker Kathy Lilliman, but also in memory of another beautiful person lost far too early to this terrible disease: Terry O'Connor.  He was a true renaissance man:  loved horse racing, literature, city living, spectator sports, his AP English students, a good glass of wine, vacationing in Hawaii and Scottsdale, and his wife Janice.  He was brave and contemplative, and we hope to channel those traits as we thrash our way to the finish line, and beyond, in life.  We miss and love you Terry and Kass!

The EndorFin Junkie team is grateful to be able to participate in the 2015 Seattle Swim Across America.  It is our hope and prayer that the funds we raise for cancer research will help to enable many to be cured and live happy, healthy lives.  We are thankful to be able to swim and work with such a great organization as SAA!

I have two activities in my life that are very important to me, competitive swimming and boy scouts. This January, along with 7 other 11-12 year old boys, I was selected to represent the Pacific Northwest at an All-Star meet in California. I began Cub Scouts when I was 7 and am now a Boy Scout with the rank of Star. I am working hard to earn Life and have set a goal to achieve Eagle Scout. Through scouting and swimming, I have learned service, commitment, leadership and a strong work ethic.

My first personal connection to cancer was when my friend Nick's dad was diagnosed with leukemia. I saw Joe go through a lot and it was really hard on Nick also. It was extra scary when Joe's cancer came back. Luckily, Joe found a match for a stem cell transplant and he is cancer free.

The five of us are swimming in honor of Paul Bui, my little brother. He was a strong, loving and caring individual that touched our lives in different ways. There are times where he would do the most silliest dance move at swim practice to lighten up the mood from an exhausting workout. He would never fail to amaze me. There was never a day he didn't go out of his way to cheer a friend up on a bad day by telling a not so funny joke, and laugh at it as if it was the funniest thing in the world.  When it came to Paul you would never know what to expect but without a doubt it was always a good surprise. Paul was what kept everyone together bringing endless amount of happiness. With Paul still in our hearts we are finishing my brother’s fight against cancer.

The Idaho Vandals Swimming and Diving team is proud to kick off our season and partner with Swim Across America as we make waves to fight cancer. Each of us knows someone who has been affected by cancer, and this is a cause that we feel passionate about supporting. As a team, we come together many times throughout the season and battle our opponents; however, we know that many others are fighting the battle of their lives against cancer. This is a great opportunity to put our passion, spirit, and strength into something that serves a greater cause. It is our privilege to join this cause and fight for more than a win. Today we join in on the fight to beat cancer. Thank you to Swim Across America for putting together this event and giving us the opportunity to be a part of it.

The Juno Team is comprised of cross-functional team members getting together for this swim to further the mission in defeating cancer. Headquartered in South Lake Union, Seattle, Washington, Juno Therapeutics is a clinical-stage company that is focused on revolutionizing medicine by re-engaging the body's immune system to treat cancer. Our mission is to revolutionize medicine through the use of cellular immunotherapies that will transform the lives of patients with cancer and other serious diseases. Every day, we aspire to learn from years of scientific progress, to innovate and develop new science, and new medicines for patients with cancer and other serious diseases.

Mercer Island Beach Club is a group of swimmers whose lives have all been impacted by cancer. We are swimming in memory of those who we have lost and in support of those who are battling cancer. Our hope is that we can help to make a difference in the fight so that future generations do not have to deal with such pain. We feel blessed to participate in such an incredible event!

THANK YOU to SCCA and Dr. Andre Shustov for saving my son's life this year.  In January he was diagnosed with T-Cell Lymphoma (alk positive), stage 1 bulging.  After six grueling rounds of chemo he has recently been declared in "Full Remission."  It has been a tough journey, which also included managing his Type 1 Diabetes, throughout the treatments.  But, thanks to the amazing folks at SCCA and world class care, Robert has a bright future.  Many thanks to all those participating, donating and raising money via SAA,for ongoing research that TRULY saves lives.

Whether it be ourselves our family or our friends, the fight against cancer touches us all. We are participating in memory of those we have lost, those who are battling cancer and those who are cancer survivors. Whether we are swimming or part of the volunteer team, together we want to make a difference by raising funds to lead the world in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

This will be our 5th year of participating in Swim Across America - Seattle. We are recreational swimmers that feel fortunate to participate in such a meaningful way through an activity that has given us health and wellbeing. We all came to know each other through the Samena Swim and Recreation Club (www.samena.com). This is a member-based, family recreation swim club located in east Bellevue since 1958. All of us feel strongly about the necessity to give attention and resources to Cancer prevention and treatment. We are proud to be a part of this event and thank the organizers for all their hard work to bring it about. We look forward to continuing this tradition of swimming and giving for years to come.

Nearly every one of us has been touched by cancer. Whether it be a family member or friend, it is hard to escape this disease. Much has been done over the years as far as research and new drugs to help those suffering from cancer. Yet, so much more needs to be done.

Swimmers from Mercer Island High School's Girls and Boys teams will join together as one team to help the fight against cancer. It is our hope that by doing so, we will raise awareness and inspire other young people to help fight this disease with us. By doing something we all love, we will swim to give hope and promise for a future without cancer. We swim with one goal in mind and that is to save millions of lives.

Ben Towne was born on July 17, 2005, to parents Jeff and Carin Towne. He was a fiercely determined, passionate and loving little boy. Ben enjoyed cars, tennis, golf, the beach and his family. In August 2007, just a month after his second birthday, Ben was diagnosed with stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma and endured 15 months of harsh and invasive treatment. He died in December of 2008, at the age of three and a half.

Ben's death spurred his parents to create an organization in his honor to fund research for safer and less toxic treatment protocols toward curing all childhood cancer. Their end goal is to stop the number one disease killer of children. 100% of donations to Ben Towne Foundation support cutting edge research accomplished at the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research. Fore more information: www.bentownefoundation.org

We swim in Ben's name. And for all children who face a cancer diagnosis. Until a cure is found.

We have co-workers, friends and family members dealing with cancer treatments and we have had some who have lost their battle with the disease. Others have survived and are thriving. Supporting the fight against cancer is an outstanding cause and Kidder Mathews is proud to be a participant in the Swim Across America Seattle event to benefit the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. The progress made in recent years in fighting cancer and extending meaningful life is fantastic. We will do our part and spend a little time getting wet in order to raise funds to help keep that progress moving forward.

Our group is made of employees, clients, friends and family members of the Commercial Real Estate Company, Kidder Mathews, and we call ourselves the Kidder Mathews “Swim Team,” although many of us do not have a competitive swimming background. Our goal is to use this event to improve our physical conditioning in preparation for the swim, to have fun in the process and to raise funds to fight cancer. Anyone who can swim, can train and complete an open water swim for this great cause!

We are a mixed group of early risers and mid day swimmers. We don't swim together, but together we fight for the common cause. We swim in memory of those close to us who are fighting the disease daily or have struggled in the past. Mollie will be swimming in honor of Susan LeClercq and Zandy Sees, both of whom were lost to breast cancer.

We swim because we are hopeful. Our dear friend Gary Lagerloef (the tall guy in the middle) sat out last year's swim while receiving treatment at SCCA for Stage IV melanoma. Now enrolled in a second immunotherapy program, Gary is back in the swim.

We swim because we know funding for cancer research makes a difference.

We swim because we care. In our first six years, Team No Limits has raised in excess of $102,500 for Swim Across America/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. This year we seek to top $115,000.

Team Captain Julie Shryock, Dr. Linda Warren, Gary Lagerloef, Kara Putnam, Kari Lagerloef, Jan Ringo, Eileen McSherry, Karen Thomas, Gracie Theobald, Nancy Shurtleff, Katie Greiner, Beth Shipley, Sarah Willis, Dr. Edus H. Warren and Samantha, Sydney and Harper Sidewinder

We are a couple of Moms who found we share the love of swimming and wanting to help others. We both have loved ones who are dealing with this horrible disease in one capacity or another.  Our Team Name came from my best friends little boy Isaac who is battling Leukemia and has identified with Seattle Children's "Stronger" video and now his encouragement is found in Stonger.  Isaac is Stronger than Cancer.  This is why we are team Stronger.  We both have many other loved ones touched by Cancer and we are swimming for all of them.