The organizer - Debbie Bang
Dedication to cancer cause meets
devotion to long-distance swims
"A Little About Me ."
I am a 50-something mother of three
grown boys with a cottage on the Severn River at Russian
Bay, and I have been swimming since I was four years
old. At that age I completed my first endurance
swim by swimming six times between two docks without
touching. My dad had left the cottage to return
to work, leaving me with the challenge. When he
returned, he brought a Grandfather Frog
book back with him as my reward for completing the
swim.
My introduction to serious distance swimming began when a friend of mine, Joy Greene, invited me to swim Lake Rosseau with her in 1998, her fourth crossing of the 10-12 mile lake. Joy didn't expect me to complete the swim, but I was determined, finishing in eight hours and 20 minutes.
The next year's swim was miserable, with 2 ½ to 3-foot waves for nine to 10 of the miles. Joy and I completed the swim in nine hours and 13 minutes. The third year, I swam by myself as Joy broke her leg skiing in March, but made my fastest crossing, completing it in seven hours 26 minutes. Joy will be swimming Lake Rosseau in July again this year in support of a camp for children with cancer, and if all goes well, I will be swimming her last 3-4 miles beside her.
I initiated Swim For The Cure in 2001. That year it was going to be a 16-mile swim of the Severn, and I completed about 14 miles of it. The swim was scaled back to eight miles for its second year in 2002, and I completed that along with the first annual Kids' Swim for the Cure the next day.
My first encounter with breast cancer came when I was quite young: I helped my Nana (maternal link) discover her breast cancer when I was racing her in the yard. My aunt (paternal link) discovered her breast cancer seven years ago. I had my first cystic lump at the age of 17 years and first mammogram in my early 20s. Some of my professional life has been dedicated to breast cancer research and I have had the honour of hearing many stories from women who are living with breast cancer.
Please visit my personal tribute page, hosted by the Canadian Cancer Society, where you can sponsor me online. Receipts are sent automatically be email once an online donation has been made.
Each year of the swim more people have joined in the fun, both as swimmers and as crew. Each swimmer receives a "bright" bathing cap to help make them more visible in the water and celebration refreshments at the end of the day. Come swim with us!
My introduction to serious distance swimming began when a friend of mine, Joy Greene, invited me to swim Lake Rosseau with her in 1998, her fourth crossing of the 10-12 mile lake. Joy didn't expect me to complete the swim, but I was determined, finishing in eight hours and 20 minutes.
The next year's swim was miserable, with 2 ½ to 3-foot waves for nine to 10 of the miles. Joy and I completed the swim in nine hours and 13 minutes. The third year, I swam by myself as Joy broke her leg skiing in March, but made my fastest crossing, completing it in seven hours 26 minutes. Joy will be swimming Lake Rosseau in July again this year in support of a camp for children with cancer, and if all goes well, I will be swimming her last 3-4 miles beside her.
I initiated Swim For The Cure in 2001. That year it was going to be a 16-mile swim of the Severn, and I completed about 14 miles of it. The swim was scaled back to eight miles for its second year in 2002, and I completed that along with the first annual Kids' Swim for the Cure the next day.
My first encounter with breast cancer came when I was quite young: I helped my Nana (maternal link) discover her breast cancer when I was racing her in the yard. My aunt (paternal link) discovered her breast cancer seven years ago. I had my first cystic lump at the age of 17 years and first mammogram in my early 20s. Some of my professional life has been dedicated to breast cancer research and I have had the honour of hearing many stories from women who are living with breast cancer.
Please visit my personal tribute page, hosted by the Canadian Cancer Society, where you can sponsor me online. Receipts are sent automatically be email once an online donation has been made.
Each year of the swim more people have joined in the fun, both as swimmers and as crew. Each swimmer receives a "bright" bathing cap to help make them more visible in the water and celebration refreshments at the end of the day. Come swim with us!
...and some
of my friends
of my friends
Swimming alongside in the first
Swim For The Cure were:
Liz Yetisir, a biostatistician and mother of two who lives in Deep River. Liz hosted the first Swim for the Cure on the Ottawa River in 2003.
Joanne VanderVies, who lives in Oakville.
Jennie Popplow, who lives in Brampton who also has a cottage on the Severn River in Hungarian Bay.
These were joined by many others in the Second and Third Swims For The Cure, all of whom are happy to talk about the swim. Contact information is available from Debbie Bang if desired.
Liz Yetisir, a biostatistician and mother of two who lives in Deep River. Liz hosted the first Swim for the Cure on the Ottawa River in 2003.
Joanne VanderVies, who lives in Oakville.
Jennie Popplow, who lives in Brampton who also has a cottage on the Severn River in Hungarian Bay.
These were joined by many others in the Second and Third Swims For The Cure, all of whom are happy to talk about the swim. Contact information is available from Debbie Bang if desired.