Charlotte-based Swim Across America funds cancer research through swimming. Names its 10th Swim Across America Lab in U.S. at Levine Cancer Institute.
CHARLOTTE, NC, UNITED STATES, September 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Swim Across America, the national nonprofit that raises funds for cancer research through charity swims across the United States, celebrated the official naming of the Swim Across America Hematology and Oncology Translational Research Laboratory at Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte on Sept. 1.
The designation marks the 10th named Swim Across America cancer research laboratory in the country and recognizes the impact that swimmers, volunteers and donors have made in advancing innovative cancer research and treatment.
“The Swim Across America Research Lab at Levine Cancer Institute recognizes our past and future commitments to grant funding that is driving innovation in how cancer is detected and treated,” commented Rob Butcher, CEO of Swim Across America. “Swim Across America’s mission is to fund cancer research. We have named labs at some of the nation’s top cancer centers and are appreciative to have this recognition with Levine Cancer Institute.”
Other Swim Across America named labs are at:
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, New York)
• Johns Hopkins Medicine Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (Baltimore, Maryland)
• Rush University Cancer Center (Chicago)
• Weill Cornell Medicine Meyer Cancer Center (New York, New York)
• Fred Hutch Cancer Center/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (Seattle, Washington)
• Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (Atlanta, Georgia)
• UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals (Oakland & San Francisco, California)
• Baylor Scott & White Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center(Dallas, Texas)
• Nantucket Cottage Hospital (Nantucket, Massachusetts)
To mark such a momentous occasion, Swim Across America and Atrium Health leaders, physicians and researchers gathered at Levine Cancer Institute for the lab dedication. The lab designation included the unveiling and placement of the laboratory plaque, followed by a behind-the-scenes tour of the cancer research laboratory and discussion of the research being supported by philanthropic funding.
Attendees included: Rob Butcher, CEO of Swim Across America; Patty Waldron, Swim Across America – Charlotte event director; Ruben Mesa, M.D., FACP, president of Advocate Health Cancer National Service Line and executive director of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center; and Mark Griffith, vice president of Atrium Health Foundation NC & GA.
“Gifts from partners like Swim Across America allow us to uphold the ‘loved one standard,’ which is our commitment to providing every patient with the same care we would want for our own families,” noted Dr. Ruben Mesa, president of Atrium Health Levine Cancer.
“Community partners are essential to enhancing cancer care across Atrium Health,” said Mark Griffith, president of Atrium Health Foundation and Advocate Health’s vice president of philanthropy for North Carolina and Georgia. “We are grateful to Swim Across America for helping to expand access to cancer programs and cutting-edge research.”
The lab naming is especially significant for Swim Across America, which is headquartered in Charlotte. Across the country, Swim Across America works to provide critical early-stage funding that can help researchers pursue promising ideas, generate data and move innovative treatments toward clinical trials and ultimately to patients.
Nationally, Swim Across America has raised more than $150 million for cancer research since its founding in 1987 and has helped fund clinical trials that contributed to the FDA-approved cancer immunotherapy medications Keytruda, Opdivo, Yervoy and Tecentriq. In the past year, Swim Across America funded a breakthrough clinical trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering that showed immunotherapy alone could successfully treat certain types of cancer. The organization also recently awarded two first-of-their-kind gene-editing innovation grants to the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, advancing novel CRISPR gene- and base-editing techniques used in targeted therapies, immunotherapies and cellular therapies.
The celebration also comes just weeks before the 10th annual Swim Across America – Charlotte Open Water Swim, which will be held Sunday, Oct. 4, at YMCA Camp Thunderbird on Lake Wylie in South Carolina. Hundreds of swimmers, volunteers, spectators and supporters are expected to come together to “Make Waves to Fight Cancer,” with proceeds supporting Levine Cancer Institute and Levine Children’s Hospital.
The Oct. 4 event begins at 10 a.m. and offers half-mile, 1-mile and 2-mile open water swim distances. Participants may also volunteer, donate or support the event through SAA My Way, Swim Across America’s virtual participation option. For more information, to register to swim or volunteer, or to donate to Swim Across America – Charlotte, visit swimacrossamerica.org/charlotte.
About Swim Across America
Swim Across America, Inc. (SAA) is dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research, prevention and treatment through swimming-related events. With open water and pool swims in 27 communities across the United States — from Nantucket to under the Golden Gate Bridge — Swim Across America, along with the help of thousands of swimmers and volunteers nationwide and past and current Olympians, is helping find better treatments and a cure for cancer through athleticism, community outreach and direct service. To learn more, visit swimacrossamerica.org.
Jeni Howard
Swim Across America
+1 203-273-4246
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability
for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this
article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Media gallery
