SF Swim Raises $7M for Kids Fighting Cancer

Susan Helmrich has beaten cancer three times, and at 70 years old, she's diving into the San Francisco Bay one more time to help kids do the same.

On September 12, 2026, more than 500 swimmers will plunge into the iconic 1.5-mile course from Little Marina Green to Aquatic Park for the 21st annual Swim Across America San Francisco event. Every stroke raises money for pediatric cancer research at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals.

Since 2006, this community swim has generated over $7 million for local cancer programs. The funds support everything from cutting-edge laboratory research to survivorship programs helping young patients rebuild their lives after treatment.

Helmrich was just 21 when she first heard the words "you have cancer." She faced it again 28 years ago, then a third time in 2009 with a 6.5-hour surgery and 23 days in the hospital. Through it all, she turned her love of swimming into a mission.

Her team, Team Susan Survives, has raised more than $1 million over the years. This year, as she approaches her 71st birthday, she's aiming for 71 team members and $171,000 in donations.

"I want nothing more than to have anyone who ever gets a cancer diagnosis have the chance to live and survive as I have," Helmrich said. She swims in memory of her mother Edna, a 53-year breast cancer survivor who passed away in 2019 at age 92.

Another team carries a different kind of determination. Team Batt Bunch will swim in memory of Brian Batt, who showed up at Aquatic Park to cheer on his daughters Amelia and Sarah even while undergoing treatment. He traveled to England and Scotland to watch them swim, scheduling his cancer treatments around their races.

Brian lost his battle in fall 2025. Team captain Mike Keck says they'll keep showing up in his honor, hoping their efforts spare other families the same heartbreak.

The Ripple Effect

The money these swimmers raise is already changing lives. Dr. Julie Saba leads a research lab at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland funded by Swim Across America donations. Her team discovered genetic drivers of neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, and found ways to prevent tumor formation by disrupting specific gene activity.

For 20 years, this swim has proven what happens when people channel something they love into something that matters. Swimmers can register now, and those who can't make it to the Bay can participate virtually through SAA My Way.

Every lap, every donation, every volunteer brings researchers one stroke closer to better treatments and more survivors.