Abel siblings swim to eradicate cancer

Swimming and altruism intersect when countless people participate in Swim Across the Sound Aug. 6.

Larry, Joss and Verity Abel along with Gabby Wimer and Kyle Bacon will do their part as members of the Staples High School Swim Across the Sound relay team by raising funds for St. Vincent's Medical Center Foundation, which provides cancer support for under-insured and uninsured people.

The Abels, Wimer and Bacon are also swimming in honor of Masato Sakaguchi, the 4-year-old brother of Fairfield swimmers Miki, Tomoya, Toshi and Yumi, who passed away last July after a two-year battle with brain cancer.

"We're a swimming family and we want to swim for a very good cause," Verity said. "We wanted to swim in honor of Masato Sakaguchi."

Last year, the Staples team raised more than $10,000 and placed 14th. The team would like to raise $20,000 this year. Joss, Wimer and Bacon will be senior captains next year for their respective teams. Verity will be a sophomore and Larry, who graduated in 2010, is entering his sophomore year for Susquehanna University and swims for the Crusaders.

"I think it will be great being on a team with my siblings, Kyle and Gabby but especially my siblings because we're a family team and it will be a great experience," Larry said.

Joss said, "I'm excited to swim with my family because it's a family-oriented event and I haven't swum with them in awhile. It will be cool."

Verity said, "I think it's going to be very fun and I like to do things with my family."

Swim Across the Sound is also personal for the Abel siblings because their mother, Linda, worked at St. Vincent's for many years and their father, Paul, is a cancer survivor. Paul was afflicted with colon cancer, which has been in remission for five years.

"It brings it closer to home because without the research at Sloan-Kettering, he would not be with us today," Joss said. "I'm looking forward to the swim because it's for a good cause and it's relevant to the swimming community. We lost a few members of the swimming community and it's a good way to raise funds towards cancer research."

In addition to Sakaguchi, YMCA Water Rats mom Maura Marden died last September and Staples boys swimming coach Jeff Schare's mom, Eve, passed away in 2002 from cancer.

"We were thrilled when we found out he's [their father] OK, but we have to remember it doesn't always work out for others," Larry said. "It gives us a true feel for it and luckily for us, it wasn't as tragic as it was for many others."

To donate, go to http://give.stvincents.org/page.aspx?pid=564&tab=0&frsid=1184, or http://give.stvincents.org/page.aspx?pid=564&tab=0&frsid=1013 or http://give.stvincents.org/page.aspx?pid=564&tab=0&frsid=1014.