On August 5, 2017, Shelton resident Kim Adler and her team will join approximately 200 swimmers, accompanied by a fleet of 100 boats, and take turns swimming 15.5 miles from Port Jefferson, New York, across Long Island Sound to Captain’s Cove Seaport in Bridgeport.
All are participating in the St. Vincent’s 30th Anniversary SWIM Across the Sound marathon to raise money for cancer patients.
Adler — a Clinical Nurse Educator, Perioperative Services, at St. Vincent’s Medical Center — is a member of the “Sink or Swim” six-person relay team. The money they raise from pledges goes to St. Vincent’s SWIM Across the Sound, which helps cancer patients and their family deal with the non-medical challenges that cancer brings and that insurance does not cover.
Adler’s own battle with cancer began in 2011, when the then-47-year old was diagnosed with stage 3B colon cancer. Her treatment required a colon resection followed by six months of chemotherapy. Around July 2012, Adler found out that the cancer had metastasized to her liver and underwent a liver resection and four more months of chemotherapy. Throughout the following year, she faced more medical procedures at St. Vincent’s Medical Center.
“Throughout my fight with cancer, during the radiation treatments, and working through my chemotherapy, I realized that working at St. Vincent’s has been such a blessing,” said Adler. “Not only did they work around my schedule when I had to have the treatments done, but everyone was very supportive and it showed me how family oriented the St. Vincent’s environment truly is.”
After Kim’s initial diagnosis, she didn’t work for six months. She approached the SWIM, filled out the application and the SWIM paid her mortgage for a month.
Right before the SWIM marathon in 2016 – in which Adler participated – her doctors found a spot in her lung; however, treatment didn’t begin until the end of August. In September, special markers were placed in her lungs and she had three doses of radiation.
Adler’s story continues to this day as she is still fighting cancer, although the radiation therapy seems to be working. As a nurse at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, Adler shares her story with patients who need the comfort and understanding another survivor can provide. “I have always been the glass is half full kind of girl instead of half empty,” Adler said. “You can’t sweat the small stuff because life’s too short.”
Come and cheer on Kim and all the swimmers on Saturday, August 5, at Captain’s Cove in Bridgeport.
Help others like Kim who continue to fight the most important battle of their lives by supporting the Swim Across the Sound. Donations can be made at swimacrossthesound.org/marathon2017.
