Woman & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island and the national non-profit organization Swim Across America (SAA) will again make waves in the fight against cancer with the 12th annual SAA-Rhode Island Swim on
Saturday, September 11 at Wheeler State Beach in Narragansett, R.I. This year's swim will raise over the $200,000.00 in total to support the work done in the Oncology Center at Women and Infants. The Friars have already raised over $49,000.00 so far this year and have raised over $260,000 since the swim was founded.
The swim features appearances by USA Swimming stars, including Rhode Island resident and three-time Olympian, Elizabeth Beisel. Athletes from Brown University, Bryant University, Roger Williams University, Providence College, and the University of Rhode Island will join together again for this year's swim. Student-athletes from Assumption College, Holy Cross, Northeastern University, and the University of Connecticut will also participate making it the largest group of college athletes in an open-water swim in the country.
Providence College Head Coach and SAA-RI Board member
John O'Neill thanks the swimmers, families and friends of all programs for teaming up for the effort. "This swim has become very meaningful to all those whose families are impacted by cancer," said O'Neill. "SAA has returned to in person events this season and the excitement for our Rhode Island event has never been greater! We all wish the best to the patients who benefit from the outstanding work being done by the research specialists across the country, as well as locally at Women and Infants Hospital!"
Swim Across America is a non-profit corporation that runs events from Boston to San Francisco to support cancer research at the country's finest hospitals and institutions. Proceeds from the Rhode Island swim go directly to Woman & Infants hospital, the largest and most diverse oncology service for woman in the Northeast, providing a broad spectrum of care for gynecological and breast cancers. It has evolved into a world-renowned, multi-disciplinary facility where clinicians uncover key answers to the questions of cancer and focus on the needs of the patients and families.
About Swim Across America
Swim Across America is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to raising money for cancer research, prevention, and treatment through swimming-related events. With the help of hundreds of volunteers nationwide as well as past and current Olympians, SAA is helping find a cure for cancer through athleticisms, community outreach and direct service.
About Woman & Infants Hospital
Woman & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, a Care New England hospital, is one of the nation's leading specialty hospitals for women and newborns. The primary teaching affiliate of The Warren Aplert Medical School of Brown University for obstetrics, gynecology and newborn pediatrics, as well as a number of specialized programs in women's medicine. Women & Infants is the ninth largest stand-alone obstetrical service in the country with nearly 8,400 deliveries per year. In 2009, Woman & Infants opened the country's largest single-family room neonatal intensive care unit.
Woman & Infants has been designated as a Breast Cancer of Excellence from the American College of Radiology; a center for In Vitro Maturation Excellence by SAGE In Vitro Fertilization; a Center of Biomedical Research in Excellence by the National Institute of Health; and a Neonatal Resource Services of Excellence. It is one of the largest and most prestigious research facilities in high risk and normal obstetrics, gynecology and newborn pediatrics in the nation, and is a member of the National Cancer Institute's Gynecologic Oncology Group and the National Institutes of Health's Pelvic Floor Disorders Network.