Annual Swim Across America event marks 20 years of fundraising in Fairfield County

Swim across america - Fairfield county on June 20 2026 — Photo via Swim Across America Fairfield County

The 20th annual Swim Across America – Fairfield County open water swim is scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Dolphin Cove in Stamford. The annual community event brings together swimmers, land volunteers, boaters, and cancer survivors to raise money for cancer research. This year’s milestone draws participation from numerous long-term volunteers and families from Greenwich and surrounding towns who helped establish the swim.

Proceeds from the annual swim benefit the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy, a Stamford-headquartered non-profit organization dedicated to funding cancer cell and gene therapy. Since its establishment in 2007, the Fairfield County event has raised more than $8.2 million for clinical trials and research grants. These funds have supported treatments for various cancers, including brain cancer, leukemia, pancreatic cancer, and a new focus on ovarian cancer for the current year.

Event director and two-time cancer survivor Nancy Carr noted that the 20-year milestone celebrates families and individuals who have consistently supported the event. Longtime participants include Rob and Julie Colligan of Old Greenwich, alongside their children Elizabeth and Owen, who have transitioned from childhood tasks to water safety roles. Similarly, Roberta Bass of Greenwich is celebrating 20 years as a cancer survivor alongside her sons Jesse and Daniel, while her 5-year-old grandson Julien will participate in the Kids’ Splash.

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The Lawrence family also continues a two-decade tradition, with Craig Lawrence of Redding swimming in memory of his sister, Kimberly Lawrence Netter, who passed away from breast cancer in 2001. Craig swims the 1.5-mile course alongside his 18-year-old son Graham, while his sister Wendy Lawrence Probert of Fairfield serves as a land volunteer. Additional veteran support comes from top fundraiser Peter Carlson of Riverside, who captains Team Julian in memory of Greenwich High School swimmer Julian Fraser.

National co-founder Matt Vossler of Darien, who helped launch Swim Across America in 1987 by crossing Long Island Sound, remains a constant presence leading the event safety team. The local legacy continues with younger participants, including 12-year-old top youth fundraiser Shep Jennings and 14-year-old Jedd Gallagher. Gallagher swims in honor of his grandmother and his father, John Gallagher, a stage 4 melanoma survivor who underwent extensive immunotherapy treatments managed by Dr. Jedd Wolchok.

Honorary co-chairs John and Cindy Sites, Olympic medalist Donna de Varona and her husband John Pinto, and Olympian Cristina Teuscher have also provided long-term support. On the water, boating captain Sean Brady has managed course safety since the event’s inception, supported by his wife Margot on land. Other foundational volunteers returning this year include Melissa Norrgard of Old Greenwich and original event director Kerry Anderson of Riverside.

The upcoming swim features a half-mile, 1.5-mile, and 3-mile course on the Greenwich and Stamford border, alongside a virtual participation option. This year’s featured researcher is Joseph Fraietta, Ph.D., from the University of Pennsylvania, who will present his current work on ovarian cancer treatments. Former Westport resident Laurie Adami will also speak at the event, sharing her experience surviving a 12-year cancer battle through therapy funded by the beneficiary alliance.

On a national level, Swim Across America has raised more than $150 million for cancer research across 27 communities since 1987. The national organization has contributed to funding for FDA-approved immunotherapy medications including Keytruda, Opdivo, Yervoy, and Tecentriq. The non-profit supports more than 60 projects annually, including recent gene-editing innovation grants awarded to the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

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Annual Swim Across America event marks 20 years of fundraising in Fairfield County