Swim in Open Water for a Worthy Cause on August 24

Want to test your swimming skills in open water and support an important cause? Then head to Innsbrook, Missouri, in late August.

Swim Across America – St. Louis is holding its ninth annual open water swim on Saturday, August 24, in Alpine Lake at the Innsbrook Resort in Innsbrook, with more than 500 swimmers and volunteers all making waves to fight cancer. Swimmers have several swim distances to choose from, including a 2-mile swim, 1-mile swim, or 1/2-mile swim, as well as a virtual option. Proceeds from the swim support Swim Across America – St. Louis’ local beneficiary, the Siteman Cancer Center. Swimmers and land and water volunteers can register in advance here.

One of the top fundraising teams this year is Waves for Wehrmann, made up of more than 20 family and friends who are swimming in honor of Dana Wehrmann, who sadly passed away in 2022 after a battle with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Dana’s daughter, Ellie Wehrmann, was just a high school junior at Incarnate Word Academy when she first participated in the Swim Across America – St. Louis open water swim in 2018. Ellie originally swam to support her best friend, Emily Schroeder, who had just lost her mom Beth to colon cancer. After that first swim, Swim Across America’s mission held a special place in Ellie’s heart. Unfortunately, the cause took a more personal meaning for Ellie when she lost her own mom to cancer in November of 2022.

“My whole world got flipped upside down on November 20, 2022, when my mom Dana Wehrmann was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia,” says Ellie. “Three days later, on November 23, she lost her battle.”

Dana Wehrmann’s diagnosis and sudden passing were a shock to her family, and through her grief, Ellie was able to find strength in giving hope to others who are fighting the same battle.

“As a kid, I kind of always thought that my parents were invincible,” says Ellie. “I saw cancer around me, but I always thought, ‘That could never happen to me,’ or ‘Not my parents.’ Cancer now has deeply impacted my life, reshaping my perspective and priorities. Losing my mom to leukemia was a profound loss that left an everlasting mark on my family. Witnessing her strength and resilience throughout her battle inspired my brother Max and me to take action against this awful disease. We want to honor her memory and the memories of others we’ve lost by actively contributing to the fight against cancer.”

Over the years, Ellie and Max’s team, Waves for Wehrmann, has raised more than $38,000 for Swim Across America and cancer research at Siteman Cancer Center. Seeing the impact that Swim Across America grants have on cancer research is what drives them to continue supporting the event.

“Raising money through Swim Across America is not just about swimming or volunteering – it’s about making a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by cancer,” says Ellie. “Every dollar raised brings us closer to better treatments, improved outcomes, and ultimately, a world without cancer. Swim Across America’s impact is undeniable, as it funds critical cancer research and support programs that directly benefit patients and families affected by cancer.”

In its previous years, Swim Across America – St. Louis has raised more than $1.6 million for its local beneficiary, Siteman Cancer Center. Funds raised support cutting edge research and clinical trials for potential new treatments for breast cancer, lymphoma, blood cancers, and pancreatic cancer.

Swim Across America is a national nonprofit organization and offers open water and pool swims in 24 communities, from Boston to under the Golden Gate Bridge. Founded in 1987, Swim Across America has raised more than $100 million in the fight against cancer.

Funds raised by Swim Across America and its grants have helped support the research and clinical trials for FDA approved immunotherapy medicines, including Keytruda, Opdivo, Yervoy and Tecentriq. Swim Across America is also a grant funder of the successful clinical trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering that was published in The New England Journal of Medicine and showed a 100 percent success rate in treating patients in a phase 2 clinical trial for advanced rectal cancer with dostarlimab. Swim Across America grants support more than 60 projects each year and there are ten named Swim Across America Labs at major institutions.

More than 150 Olympians support Swim Across America, including Kate Douglass, Michael Phelps, Craig Beardsley, Elizabeth Beisel, Missy Franklin, Ryan Held, Gretchen Walsh, Donna de Varona, Rowdy Gaines, Janel Jorgensen McArdle, Bobby Hackett, Ryan Lochte, Glenn Mills, Cristina Teuscher, and many more.

To learn more about Swim Across America – St. Louis or to register to swim, volunteer, or donate, go here.

Top image: Participants at Swim Across America – St. Louis in 2022. (Swim Across America – St. Louis)