Swim a mile for women with cancer

This past Sunday, I attended the Women’s Cancer Resource Center’s biggest event of the year: Swim A Mile For Women With Cancer. When I volunteered to be a “lane counter” I assumed I would be counting, but I didn’t really know what to expect beyond that. Imagine my surprise when I showed up and was handed a cowbell and a couple of noisemakers. I was told that I would not only be tracking each of the 36 laps (1 mile) for the swimmers, but I would also be their personal cheerleader until they had completed their goal – whatever that goal may be. It was a total blast!

The event allows swimmers of all experience levels to swim a mile and raise funds in support of women with cancer. The fun part was that there were no rules: some swimmers swam with snorkels, some with foam kickboards, and others with scuba fins. The music blasting in the background - “We are family” and “Hey now, you’re an all-star” – exemplified the purpose of the event. It was not a competition, but a celebration.

There were females of all different ages, shapes, sizes, and colors. Some women had long hair, while other women had thin hair that was just beginning to grow back after treatment. Some were swimming in “honor of” while others were swimming in “memory of”. All of the women were strong and all of them beautiful. This event was a celebration of these women because in some way or another, their lives have been affected by cancer and they are fighting and surviving – for themselves, for their mothers, for their sisters, their friends, and for their children. Some swimmers even had names written in permanent marker on their bodies. Names of the people they were swimming for.

The first women for whom I counted, had the name Sandy written across her bicep and underneath the name, the word “mom” bounded by a heart. She finished her mile at record speed and when the master of ceremonies asked if she wanted to say a few words about her mother Sandy, she said she did not … “it would be too difficult not to cry”.

A group of friends came in sporting swim caps with the phrase “Cancer Sucks”.

One woman swam with her daughters - it was their 7th year swimming. Another swam with her young son, struggling to finish the 36 laps, but unwilling to give up. He finished.

A group of 4 eight-year old girls each swam ¼ mile to complete a one-mile swim in honor of a friend’s grandfather.

There were even a few men swimming for their wives or daughters.

One older woman was there for her daughter. She proudly carried a framed picture of her child whom she had lost to cancer at age 38.

I have tears in my eyes as i am writing this, but the truth is, it was not a sad event. There was too much support and love, too much empowerment, too much determination, and far too much strength. This community bond was unlike any bond i have ever witnessed.

The nature of this bond epitomizes WCRC’s mission: “to empower women with cancer to be active and informed consumers and survivors; to provide community for women with cancer and their supporters; to educate the general community about cancer; and to be actively involved in the struggle for a life-affirming, cancer-free society.”