Pittsburgh-area woman swimming to raise money for pancreatic cancer research

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A Pittsburgh-area woman is taking an obsession and channeling it to fight the disease that claimed her mother's life.

In the summer heat, we all look forward to swimming. But for Judy Caves, it's personal and so much more than that.

On Saturday, she will swim the pancreatic charity swim, just one of five swimmers on the Monongahela River for the " PanCAN ."

It's her mission to raise money and awareness for pancreatic cancer. She's no amateur swimmer. She swam in high school and college, but this will be her biggest challenge.

"My mother died from it in 2005," Caves said. "Unfortunately, the eve of my 45th birthday. And all cancer is hideous, but this one it's very hard to detect. So I'm hoping that the funds that we raise will help people who are doing the research, help find better ways to detect it earlier."

Five swimmers will start at sunrise, and her husband will be in a kayak beside them looking out for debris and boats, with a whistle to alert them for logs or jetskis.

In the past, she's raised money for other charities like the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank, Light of Life Rescue Mission and Glimmer of Hope.