Channeling a Cure

Swimming the world’s toughest waters for pancreatic cancer research

In August, I swam the English Channel — a 21-mile strait between England and France — to raise money for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). Known as “the Mount Everest of swimming,” the English Channel is infamous for its rough waters, marine traffic, cold temperatures, and tons of jellyfish.

While swimming the English Channel is no small undertaking, it is also part of something much bigger. By finishing this swim, I completed the triple crown of open-water swimming — successful solo swims of the English Channel, the Catalina Channel in California, and around the island of Manhattan. As of 2024, only 366 people have completed this trifecta, and fewer than 2,000 have swam the English Channel in total.

The English Channel is one of the most dangerous open-water swims in the world.  So, you may be thinking, “Rachel, why did you do this?” 

Well, my mom was a nurse and her graduate research helped inform the development of hospice care in the state of New York. She (and my dad) instilled in me and my four siblings the importance of acts of service. We would volunteer at clothing drives, food banks, nursing homes, you name it. Giving back has always been a part of our DNA.  

When my mom got sick, it was devastating. I immediately flew home to be her primary caregiver, and unfortunately, she passed away the morning before Mother’s Day, just six months after her diagnosis. To honor her legacy, work through my grief, and raise funds to change the meaning of a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, I took up long-distance swimming. Having never been a swimmer growing up, this was a first for me. I learned the challenges of swimming, but also its benefits. It is meditative, and on my multi-hour swims, I really felt like I could talk to my mom. After a lot of practice, I completed my first BIG swim, the Catalina Channel, on what would have been my mom’s 75th birthday. It took me 13 hours and 11 minutes. 

When I am swimming, it is just me against the elements. There are a million reasons why I could give up and get out of the water, but I just need one reason to keep me going. And thanks to my mom setting the example of helping others, that reason alone fuels me to keep going and do just that: Help others. 

Honoring the past, charting the path forward 

The staff at MSK reflect that same dedication in their care for patients. The incredible nurses, including my amazing sister-in-law Christy Griffin, researchers, doctors, and all other staff, treat every patient and their family with such warmth and attention, it’s incredible. I know they will stop at nothing to develop better treatments, and more cures, for all types of cancer. 

I am happy to share that in the 17 years since my mom passed, there has been progress in the fight against pancreatic cancer. New mRNA pancreatic cancer vaccine trials at MSK are just the tip of the iceberg. But none of this would be possible without philanthropic support. 

I have named my fundraiser “Channeling a Cure” and I have a goal to raise $50,000 for pancreatic cancer research at MSK. I believe that MSK is at the cusp of more discoveries that will change the landscape of cancer research and care for generations to come. I have included a bequest to MSK in my estate plans. I feel it is the best way that I can imagine continuing this momentum well into the future. 

Please join me by learning more about remembering MSK in your estate plans or by making a donation to support my fundraising here.