My name is Atharva Anand and I am taking on the challenge to swim in Houston Open Water to raise funds that will be going to MD Anderson Cancer Center for cancer research, prevention, and treatment.

Most of my time has been around swimming and I would say it is the best part of the day. My love for swimming has helped me train to swim faster. Being a competitive swimmer, every practice is a battle of grit. In today’s world, success is often seen as an achievement of goals and a journey full of determination. We, swimmers, are trained to push ourselves hard enough, and if we are not successful on our first attempt, we keep going until we achieve our goals.

I see that same perseverance and resilience in cancer survivors. Battling cancer takes a lot of courage and determination. Their bravery to put up a tough fight against it every day during the recovery process inspires me a lot.

I salute, admire, and support every warrior in their survivorship journey.

Cancer is one of the most complex diseases and the second most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in America. It is expected to increase by approximately 60% over the next two decades, further straining health systems, people, and communities. They arise from our own cells, so each cancer can be as different and diverse as people, which makes it incredibly difficult to find one single cure. However, new breakthroughs in understanding cancer can help find new cures. That's one reason why cancer research requires all the funding it can get.

Research that you will be supporting is vital to turn the best ideas today into the best future cures for all types of cancer. Your actions will make a profound impact on the lives of those affected by cancer.

If you are able, please donate. It doesn't matter how big or small the support is; every bit helps us get closer to finding a cure for cancer. As the quote goes, “There is a “can” in cancer because we can beat it.”

Thank you