Hundreds swim along San Francisco waterfront to raise funds for cancer fight
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) -- Hundreds of people came together Saturday for an event in the San Francisco Bay that made some waves in the fight against cancer.
Swimmers jumped in the bay at Marina Green and swam 1 1/2 miles to Aquatic Park in the 17th annual San Francisco Open Water Swim sponsored by Swim Across America.
The event is a fundraiser for cancer research, prevention and treatment. This year, the swimmers and volunteers raised more than $500,000.
Over the event's 17 years history, Swim Across America has raised more than $6 million for UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute and UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco Survivors of Childhood Cancer program.
"I'm here with my whole laboratory scientific team," said Julie Saba, a physician and scientist at UCSF's Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute. "I think we all just want to express our gratitude to Swim Across America and, to all of the swimmers, the volunteers, the Olympians, the supporters and the cancer survivors who really work very hard all year long to raise money to help us do our cancer research."
Saba says the annual event does make a difference in helping with their research.
"It's expensive and time-consuming. We wouldn't be able to do it without the help from Swim Across America," she said. "So, we're very, very grateful to be able to do the very enriching but very difficult work that we do."
Some of the swimmers were there to show strength for loved ones. Other swimmers were cancer survivors themselves.
To learn more visit the Swim Across America website.