BRIDGEPORT - Shelton resident Kim Adler and her team will join approximately 200 swimmers Saturday to take turns swimming 15.5 miles from Port Jefferson, N.Y., across Long Island Sound to Captain's Cove Seaport.
All are participating in St. Vincent's 30th anniversary SWIM Across the Sound marathon to raise funds for cancer patients.
They will be accompanied by a fleet of 100 boats. 
The money they raise from pledges goes to St. Vincent's SWIM Across the Sound, which helps cancer patients and their family deal with the non-medical challenges that cancer brings and that insurance does not cover.
Adler's own battle with cancer began in 2011, when the then 47-year old was diagnosed with stage 3B colon cancer.
Her treatment required a colon resection followed by six months of chemotherapy. Around July 2012, Adler found out that the cancer had metastasized to her liver and underwent a liver resection and four more months of chemotherapy.
Throughout the following year, she faced more medical procedures at St. Vincent's Medical Center.
"Throughout my fight with cancer, during the radiation treatments, and working through my chemotherapy, I realized that working at St. Vincent's has been such a blessing," said Adler. "Not only did they work around my schedule when I had to have the treatments done, but everyone was very supportive and it showed me how family-oriented the St. Vincent's environment truly is."
After Adler's initial diagnosis, she didn't work for six months. She approached the SWIM, filled out the application and the SWIM paid her mortgage for a month.
Right before the SWIM marathon in 2016 - in which Adler participated - her doctors found a spot in her lung; however, treatment didn't begin until the end of August. In September, special markers were placed in her lungs and she had three doses of radiation.
Adler's story continues to this day as she is still fighting cancer, although the radiation therapy seems to be working.
As a nurse at St. Vincent's Medical Center, Adler shares her story with patients who need the comfort and understanding another survivor can provide. "I have always been the glass is half full kind of girl instead of half empty," Adler said. "You can't sweat the small stuff because life's too short."
Help others like Kim who continue to fight the most important battle of their lives by supporting the Swim Across the Sound. Donations can be made at swimacrossthesound.org/ marathon2017.
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About St. Vincent's SWIM Across the Sound
St. Vincent's SWIM Across the Sound is a charitable not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization run by the St. Vincent's Medical Center Foundation of Bridgeport, CT. Founded in 1987 and celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year, the SWIM has had a unique niche helping individuals and families struggling through the difficult changes that cancer brings with it.
The SWIM serves approximately 30,000 people annually by providing more than 45 programs, including cancer education, screening, prevention, and support programs at low- or no-cost for the uninsured and underinsured.
In addition, the SWIM helps individual cancer patients on a case-by-case basis with specific financial assistance, funding of wigs and prostheses, medication assistance, free transportation to treatments and appointments, day-care scholarships, support groups and more.
For more information, contact St. Vincent's Medical Center Foundation, 203-576-5451, or visit
www.Swim AcrossTheSound.org.
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