Swim Across America event raises thousands for VCU cancer research

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- VCU's Massey Cancer Center will receive $45,000 in cancer research funding, thanks to a diverse group of swimmers across Central Virginia.

Sunday morning, Swim Across America - Richmond held its sixth annual Swim Across America pool swim, with participants ranging from two to 82 years old. For about an hour, swimmers and their teams sped back and forth, lap after lap, lane by lane at Quest Swimming in Midlothian. As they worked to stay afloat, they fundraised for VCU, specifically funding research targeting pediatric blood cancer patients.

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"My research, and many other young researchers all over the country, is only possible because of you guys," said Dr. Elizabeth Krieger with VCU.

They swim for folks like George Sushkoff, a Henrico resident who swam to support the organization for years, not knowing that one day, he would be on the receiving end of their work.

In 2023, he was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer.

"Suddenly that changes your outlook again," he said during a 2023 interview with CBS 6.

Sushkoff underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. At one point, he was unsure if he'd have to say goodbye to swimming regularly.

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Swim Across America stepped in to make sure Sushkoff had support and a second opinion on his diagnosis.

He returned the favor by returning to the pool, even during treatment at 2023's Swim Across America event.

“I didn’t eat that day. I didn’t sleep that night before. But this event gives me energy, so I was glad I was able to attend," Sushkoff said.

A few months later, he received a phone call from his doctor.

“He says well, I see some scar tissue where the tumor was. And I was like, ‘I like the word was in that sentence.’ And he says, ‘Yeah, there’s nothing there. It’s all gone.’ And this was right before Christmas. Just the best possible outcome I could imagine," Sushkoff said.

Now he's encouraging others to step up to the plate and swim to raise money for potentially life-saving research.

“Whether you are donating, you’re swimming, whether you’re just here to help out or maybe you’re here because it looks like dad’s going to be OK, I really appreciate it, I thank everybody," Sushkoff said.

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