In our lifetime, 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with cancer. I joined the Swim Across America community so that, together, we can change that.  

I will be swimming on September 10, 2022 in honor of my dear friend, Stephanie Pouliot. I met Stephanie in the pool in September 2018. Through wonderful conversation, we realized that our lives have been intertwined for many years. Stephanie swam in the Pittsfield area as a young club swimmer, and we knew many of the same people. Stephanie and I bonded over the fact that we were using our beloved sport to heal our bodies, Stephanie had just completed a grueling year of chemotherapy and radiation for her breast cancer diagnosis, and I had recently been re-diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. We swam in lanes next to one another and would laugh and joke about being in our forties and how different life felt. 

We had passed our love of the sport on to our own children and although they didn’t swim on the same club team, like us, our children realized the team on their cap didn’t matter, but the swimmer within was what was most important, and they all quickly became friends.  Over the years, we developed a wonderful friendship rooted in laughter, great conversation and our love of sport.  When Stephanie was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in early 2020, we were all devastated.  But Stephanie was determined to fight, and she fought fiercely for her amazingly awesome children, Claire and Jackson.

Through her treatments, Stephanie continued to swim. I would pick Stephanie up at 4:15 in the morning so that she could swim, allowing her to heal physically and mentally, because like any swimmer, the feeling of the water on her body was what soothed her, made her feel alive.  Stephanie's battled ended on March 6, 2022, but her legacy and love is forever felt in our hearts.

If you are able, please support me by making a gift. The researchers we are funding are in our community and are the next generation of cancer pioneers. Without Swim Across America early stage funding, they are not able to conduct trials that can lead to breakthroughs that can save lives. Thank you for helping make an impact in the fight to find a cure!

If you would like to match your donation and continue to provide support for Claire & Jackson. Please visit the families Go Fund Me page: https://gofund.me/ae6f32fb

Thank you.