Jan WilliamsSt. Vincent's SWIM Across the Sound Co-Chair
2002 SWIM Volunteer of the Year
Co-Owner, Captain's Cove Seaport
Jan Williams of Captain's Cove Seaport in Bridgeport joined Frank Scifo, MD of St. Vincent Medical Center, as co-chair of the SWIM Across the Sound in 2005.
"We welcome Jan Williams who has tremendous drive and energy and will bring fresh ideas to the SWIM. She has thrown open the doors of Captain's Cove, which is the home to the SWIM. We're excited to work with Jan," said Ronald J. Bianchi, president of the St. Vincent's Medical Center Foundation and senior corporate vice president of St. Vincent's Medical Center.
Since the Cove's inception in 1981, Williams along with several family members have operated the site, which is the home of several annual SWIM events, such as the SWIM Marathon and the Sikorsky Walk. Kay Williams, Jan's father, was the founder of Captain's Cove. She is involved in all aspects of the Cove, running the marina, restaurant and shops, which are open from April to October, drawing approximately 400,000 people annually to the site on Bostwick Avenue.
Her goal as co-chair is to continue to promote the SWIM so more cancer patients can take advantage of its services. "My goal is to continue the great work that has already been going since 1987 when the SWIM began," Williams said. "I want people to be aware of how accessible the SWIM is and how many people it helps. We need to continue to raise money, which allows us to offer services to more people since there's such a growing demand. I'm proud to be part of this great organization and only hope to live up to the standards the co-chairs of the past set during their time."
Williams is the co-founder of the annual Bluefish Tournament, which involves hundreds of fishermen from Connecticut and Long Island Sound. She is a life-long resident of Black Rock and is married to Rob Burlinson, a tri-athlete who participates in SWIM events.
Frank Scifo, MDFamily Physician
St. Vincent's SWIM Across the Sound Co-Chair
Frank Scifo, MD, a family physician and host of St. Vincent's HealthTalk, a radio call-in program heard every Monday at 7:00pm on WICC 600, was named co-chair of St. Vincent's SWIM Across the Sound in 1999.
In his practice, Dr. Scifo has seen the devastating impact of cancer on both the afflicted person and family. He realized there was a dire need for the programs and help that the SWIM provides to people.
"The SWIM steps in when insurance companies say no," Dr. Scifo said. "The SWIM helps so many people. There are a lot of good people volunteering to help others by working for the SWIM. Everyone knows someone who has cancer."
Dr. Scifo has relied on the SWIM to help some of his neediest patients. For instance, he had one patient, a mother with two children who developed cancer. She and her husband both worked but quickly exhausted their funds on medications and treatments. The SWIM was able to help with the purchase of a wig after she lost her hair from chemotherapy drugs and also pay for other incidental bills.
"Often responsible working people can't meet the financial burden of the disease," Dr. Scifo said. "It's not easy for some people to ask for help. It's a pride thing. The SWIM helps anyone who needs assistance to cope with the disease. It's such a great organization. All the funds raised go to the programs and the patients. Not one dime goes to salaries, and the cost of the events is covered by corporate sponsorships."
"The SWIM has taken on a life of its own," Scifo said. "It keeps growing and that's good because we continue to help more people. That's what we're all about - helping people with cancer."
Additional Resources
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