Close to 200 swimmers will brave the waters of Long Island Sound this Saturday for St. Vincent’s annual Swim Across the Sound, a fundraiser supporting cancer patients and their families … and Jaime Chila, of Monroe, wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
I have vowed that as long as I was physically capable, I would be in the water every year, because it means that much to me,” Chila said of the 10 years she swam.
Chila’s grandmother is a breast cancer survivor and her mother is also a cancer survivor, but others she knows have not been so lucky.
“Every year, unfortunately, there is someone I know who is diagnosed with cancer, so it becomes much more personal for me,” she said. “When I plunge into the cold water and swim, the thought of them is what pushes and propels me through this all day swim event.”
Chila has been a swimmer her whole life, right up to her freshman year in college.
“The water has always been a place of peace and tranquility for me, so when I was approached my first year asking if I would join the team, it was without hesitation a big yes,” she recalled of first participating in St. Vincent’s Swim.
Chila said the meaning of the fundraiser gives her a greater sense of purpose and motivation while swimming. “I don’t think I could ever not be a part of this big day ever,” she said. “What an incredible thing we are doing here.”
“I want to bring as much awareness to this foundation as possible,” she said. “Cancer is a devastating diagnosis and often times treatment and medications leave cancer patients so sick and weak that they are unable to continue working.”
Funds raised during the Swim are used to ease patients’ financial burden, so they can focus on healing, from covering the costs of some of their bills and paying for a wig to helping with transportation services, according to Chila.
“No one should ever have to feel like they are struggling financially, while fighting for their life,” she said.
Code Blue Fish
Chila said preparing for the 15.5 mile swim is a year-round task. She exercises consistently throughout the year to build the endurance she needs to make her leg of the swim from Port Jeff in New York to Captain’s Cove in Bridgeport.
“We start with open water swims in June when the water gets a bit warmer,” Chila said. “My team, Code Blue Fish, consists of six members and we must swim a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 30 minutes, making sure we meet certain checkpoints by certain times.”
Chila said the journey takes about nine hours to complete.
“It is a long and grueling day struggling against currents, waves and various sea life, like jellyfish and sea lice, and proves to be very different in that respect from pool swimming,” she said.
Aside from swimming for a worthy cause, Chila thrives on the camaraderie of the event.
“My teammates are incredibly positive and uplifting, cheering each other on as we swim,” she said. “And when we pass that finish line the feeling is like nothing I have ever felt before. It is exhilarating and emotional to say the least.”
Chila’s three children, Gavin, 15, Jackson, 13, and Mia, 5, are among her biggest supporters.
“My family is always at the finish line cheering me and the team on,” she said. “I love that they are a part of this big day. They help me with various fundraisers throughout the year too and I am thankful for their volunteerism and enthusiasm!”
‘Every dollar counts’
Though the Swim is this Saturday, there is still time to make a donation. To make a donation on behalf of Chila or her team, click on this link.
Chila encourages anyone interested in participating in a future Swim to take the plunge.
“When you swim with us, you’re swimming for someone,” she said. “It may be someone you know. It may be in honor of someone you’ve lost. It may be for someone you’ve yet to meet, whose life will be changed by an unexpected diagnosis.”
“The funds raised through the Swim Across the Sound touch the lives of hundreds of cancer patients and their families across the state,” Chila said. “If you or anyone you know has been diagnosed and is struggling, please reach out the foundation for assistance.”
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