Personal Profiles
Karen Smyers
July 16, 2007
Local triathlete and cancer survivor is making waves in the fight against
cancer
Lincoln's Karen Smyers is diving into Boston Harbor to support pediatric cancer survivor programs at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The professional triathlete participated in a 22-mile relay swim around the Boston Harbor Islands to benefit the 12th annual Swim Across America (SAA). Smyers is not only an award winning triathlete (swimming, biking, and running in one race), but also a cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 1999, and has made a full recovery. Now, at the age of 45, every stroke is an emotional one.
"I am thankful at how successful my treatment and recovery were," said Smyers. "However, there are many more cancer survivors who are not as fortunate, which is why it is important we support the David B. Perini, Jr. Quality of Life Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute."
Swim Across America, Inc., is a non-profit corporation that runs events from Boston to San Francisco to support cancer research at the country's finest hospitals and institutions. Proceeds from all of the Boston-area swims benefit the David B. Perini, Jr. Quality of Life Program at Dana-Farber, which provides medical, educational and psychosocial services to help survivors of childhood cancer cope with long-term side effects of their treatments. It also leads research projects aimed at reducing and eliminating the negative aspects of those life-saving treatments for current patients.
Participants in the Boston Harbor Island swim are required to raise a minimum of $1500 by soliciting support and sponsorships. The daylong event starts from behind the Boston Harbor Hotel at Rowes Wharf. Eight to 10 swimmers jump into the ocean at a time for a 10 to 15 minute rotation, approximately five times during the day. When swimmers aren't in the water, they are on a boat that travels next to the athletes who are making waves.
"Seeing Boston from out in the water is a real treat for me," extols Smyers who made a splash alongside casual and competitive swimmers, as well as seven former Olympians including Janel Jorgensen and Jenny Thompson. "I want to uphold the tradition of swimmers supporting this cause even though I am a far cry from an Olympic swimmer these days. Every event that is geared toward preventing, curing or living with cancer is important to me personally."
Professionally, some of Smyers accomplishments include winning the Hawaiian Ironman and the ITU World Championships in 1995. She is the only woman to achieve both wins in the same year. She also won the Triathlon World Championships in 1990 and 1996. Most recently, she won the Timberman 70.3 race in New Hampshire last August, and she is currently preparing for the Ironman Lake Placid in July, just one week after the Boston Swim Across America, and the Ironman Hawaii in October. Smyers also manages to find time to train and coach other triathletes.
