Open Swim in Narragansett Raises $158,000 for Cancer Research

NARRAGANSETT, RI—The Swim Across America fundraiser held earlier this month in Narragansett raised $158,000 for cancer research at Women & Infants Hospital.

More than 500 swimmers took part in the swim on Sept. 10, swimming either a half or full mile in the waters off Roger Wheeler Beach.

“I feel very fortunate to have been part of the first Swim in 2010, and to watch it grow into such an inspirational and compassionate event over these past seven years,” said Paul Di Silvestro, MD, interim director, Program in Women’s Oncology at Women & Infants, in a news release.

Di Silvestro, who also leads research on women's oncology at Women & Infants, said that the partnership with the Swim Across America organization has resulted in "major advancements in ovarian cancer research."

It's "funding that helps us to advance science and, more importantly, train young physician scientists and basic scientists for our future,” he said.

The organization hosts swims specifically to provide seed funding to recognized hospitals investigating and running clinical trials that lead to treatments and cures for cancer. In 2015, it delivered $4.6 million in grants.

Among the swimmers were many college swim team members, including swimmers from Providence College,

University of Connecticut, Bryant University, Brown University, Roger Williams University, University of Rhode Island, Assumption College, Boston University and Holy Cross. Organizers said it was one of the largest group of college athletes in an open-water swim in the country.

The top fundraising school was Providence College, which raised $5,000.

Photo Captions:

Providence College professor and breast cancer survivor Ann Kelley, pictured here surrounded by PC swimmers, spoke about her experience with cancer and her treatment at Women & Infants’ Program in Women’s Oncology. (Photo credit: Matthew Healey)

Pictured from left to right are: Mark R. Marcantano, president and chief operating officer at Women & Infants Hospital; Dr. Maureen Phipps, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Women & Infants Hospital and Care New England; and Dr. Paul DiSilvestro, interim director of the Program in Women’s Oncology at Women & Infants Hospital. (Photo credit: Matthew Healey)

Sponsors of the event included Amica; Dunkin Donuts; Go Swim; Swim Outlet; United Healthcare; WJAR-Channel 10; and Women & Infants Hospital’s Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Program in Women’s Oncology/Breast Health Center.