Former Sharon High Swimmer Hits Water To Help Fight Cancer

Jessica Adler swam a half-mile both in Long Island Sound and off Hull's Nantasket Beach this summer.

The 2002 graduate of Sharon High School says she raised about $1,600 total to fight cancer between these two Swim Across America events.

Swim Across America supports "cancer research, prevention and treatment through swimming- related events," according to its website.

Adler participated in the program for the first time -- although, she says, she needed no convincing when her best friend's mother, who had done it for the past five years, suggested last year that she join them.

Adler says she was on the swim team, where she did the backstroke, relays and the 200. She also had swam for the YMCA, and coached for Sharon Recreation.

"I was a swimmer, so any charity that involved something I used to do and still enjoy doing was great for me," says Adler, 27.

"Raising money for cancer is something that's close to my heart, anyway. People in my family have passed away from it."

Adler participated in the Greenwich-Stamford Open Water Swim June 25 in Long Island Sound, Conn., and the July 16 Nantasket Beach Swim in Massachusetts.

SHARON PATCH:

How did swimming in open water compare to swimming in a pool?

JESSICA ADLER:

It's definitely different with the wet suit. There's the current coming at you, and you get kicked in the face a couple of times.

It's definitely different. But, coming out of the water was a great feeling. You come out of the water feeling that you did a good deed.

SHARON PATCH:

How did you train for it?

JESSICA ADLER:

I belong to L.A. Fitness, and just pushed myself. I did my best with a pool rather than an ocean.

I definitely think the muscle memory was there. So it was pretty easy to get back in and feel like I knew what I was doing.

SHARON PATCH:

What did you notice about the groups you were with?

JESSICA ADLER:

There were two different vibes for the two different swims.

For the Greenwich swim, it was a bit of an older crowd.

In Nantasket, there were a bunch of college swim teams. There were high school teams that raised money.