PROVIDENCE, R.I. –
Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island and the national non-profit organization, Swim Across America (SAA), made waves in the fight against cancer with the eighth annual SAA-Rhode Island Swim on Saturday, September 9th at Wheeler State Beach in Narragansett, RI. This year’s swim raised over $175,000 in total to support the work done in the Oncology Center at Women & Infants Hospital. The Friars have raised over $22,000 this year alone, and over $150,000 in total since the swim was founded 8 years ago.
This exciting open-water swim featured appearances by tons of swimming stars, including Rhode Island resident and three-time Olympian, Elizabeth Beisel. Athletes from Brown University, Bryant University, Roger Williams University, Providence College, and the University of Rhode Island joined together again for this year’s swim. Neighboring student-athletes from Assumption College, Boston University, Holy Cross, Northeastern University and the University of Connecticut also participated making it the largest group of college athletes in an open-water swim in the entire country.
Providence College Head Coach and SAA-RI Board member John O’Neill credits the coaches and captains from each of the programs for continuing to join in the effort, “We would like to thank the leaders of every college program for continuing to join us helping in the fight against cancer. The big winners on this day each year are the patients who will benefit from the outstanding Doctors and Research Specialists at Women and Infants Hospital.”
Swim Across America is a non-profit corporation that runs events from Boston to San Francisco to support cancer research at the country’s finest hospitals and institutions. Proceeds from the Rhode Island swim go directly to Women & Infants Hospital, the largest and most diverse oncology service for woman in the Northeast. This will aid the hospital in providing a broad spectrum of care for gynecological and breast cancers. Women & Infants Hospital has evolved into a world-renowned, multi-disciplinary facility where clinicians uncover key answers to the questions of cancer, and focus on the needs of the patients and families.
About Swim Across America
Swim Across America is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to raising money for cancer research, prevention, and treatment through swimming-related events. With the help of hundreds of volunteers nationwide, as well as past and current Olympians, SAA is helping find a cure for cancer through athletics, community outreach, and direct service.
About Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island
Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, a Care New England hospital, is one of the nation’s leading specialty hospitals for women and newborns. The primary teaching affiliate of The Warren Aplert Medical School of Brown University for obstetrics, gynecology and newborn pediatrics, as well as a number of specialized programs in women’s medicine. Women & Infants is the ninth largest stand-alone obstetrical service in the country with nearly 8,400 deliveries per year. In 2009, Women & Infants opened the country’s largest single-family room neonatal intensive care unit.
Women & Infants has been designated as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence from the American College of Radiology; a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology; a Center of Biomedical Research Excellence for Perinatal Biology by the National Institutes of Health; and a Neonatal Resource Services Center of Excellence. It is one of the largest and most prestigious research facilities in high risk and normal obstetrics, gynecology and newborn pediatrics in the nation, and is a member of the NRG Oncology, the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network, the Neonatal Research Network, and the Pelvic Floor Disorders Network.
http://www.friars.com/sports/c-swim/spec-rel/091017aaa.html
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