"Swimming Towards A Cure,” an MSUToday-produced documentary, follows the journey of six women from Michigan who swim the English Channel in an effort to raise money and awareness for ALS research.
Amanda Mercer, the team leader, was a former swimmer at MSU. She organized the event and trained for two years, only to be diagnosed with breast cancer four months before the swim date. She vowed to train through chemotherapy treatments and still attempt to swim alongside her teammates.
The team – comprised of Spartans, Wolverines and others – swam for Bob Schoeni, a professor from the University of Michigan, who in 2008 was diagnosed with ALS. The ultimate goal was not only to finish the 42-mile swim, but also set the world record for fastest women relay team.
"Swimming Towards A Cure” is scheduled to air at 10 p.m. April 11 on the Big Ten Network, following the MSU vs. Lansing Lugnuts exhibition baseball game. Check out a preview of the documentary here.
For more information, contact executive producer Jim Peck at Jim.Peck@cabs.msu.edu or (517) 432-2021; producer and editor Anthony Siciliano at Anthony.Siciliano@cabs.msu.edu or (517) 884-6039; or Amanda Mercer at amandamercer@att.net.