Dear Family and Friends,

Hello! It’s that time of year again, when I ask each of you to consider the impact of cancer on your life, and on the lives of those around you. Training is happening! I'm swimming 2 miles 3x/week to prepare for our timed swim.

Last year I wrote about my sister Lori, who was diagnosed with head and neck cancer in late April of 2022. I’m thrilled to tell you that she responded well to her surgery and chemo/radiation) and has since had a clear PET scan. She feels good, despite some problems acquired during her treatment.

This year, I’d like to draw your attention to Keytruda, a new drug being used to treat advanced melanoma and other cancers. Developed using money raised by Swim Across America, new data show that 40 percent of the patients who have taken the drug are still alive three years later, compared to about 5 percent of patients given the standard therapy, interleukin.

The swimmers at Meadowbrook raise money for the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. It makes research and development of new treatments possible. It helps create a future where cancer is much less frightening.

I'll be swimming one mile at Meadowbrook Swim Club on September 10, 2023; that's coming right up! Please consider making a contribution to Swim Across America, to support my swim and our mission. Swim Across America funds early cancer research, which filters leading-edge treatments into the cancer therapy pipeline. These treatments move us ever closer to curing many cancers.

Thank you! I am deeply grateful for your support.

Love,

Jac xo