Houston Swimmers Unite at Lake Conroe for Annual Swim Across America Fundraiser to Support MD Anderson Research
When swimmers take to the waters of Lake Conroe on Saturday, October 11 for the 7th Annual Swim Across America – Houston Open Water Swim, they’ll be diving into something far greater than a race. Each stroke represents a fight against cancer — a show of unity, remembrance, and hope for a future shaped by research and resilience.
Set against the scenic backdrop of Margaritaville Lake Resort, this annual Houston-area tradition is more than a community fundraiser. It’s a mission. Hosted by Swim Across America (SAA), a national nonprofit known for organizing swim events coast to coast, the Houston Open Water Swim raises vital funds to support groundbreaking cancer research at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Since its local launch in 2019, the event has contributed more than $450,000 to MD Anderson’s lifesaving efforts.
Participants — ranging from recreational swimmers to seasoned marathoners — can choose from a ½-mile, 1-mile, or 2-mile swim, with a Kids’ Splash rounding out the day for young participants. The event draws over 250 swimmers, Olympians, and volunteers each year and continues to grow.
For Houston’s Andy Rieger, the event is especially personal. A lifelong swimmer and U.S. Army veteran, Andy returned to the sport later in life after encouragement from his late wife, Jordana, during her courageous six-year battle with stage 4 colon cancer. After Jordana’s passing in 2018, Andy looked for a way to give back.
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“I never really grasped how many lives are impacted daily by cancer until my family was immersed in the battle with Jordana,” he shared.
That journey led Andy to Swim Across America, where he founded Team Rae (now Team Rieger) in Jordana’s memory. The team has participated in the Houston swim every year since 2019. But Andy’s dedication didn’t stop there. In 2021, after losing his brother Matt to pancreatic cancer, he added the Swim Across America – Chicago event to his annual calendar, swimming in Matt’s hometown and honoring yet another deeply personal loss.
“Swimming again was the perfect way to honor Matt and continue to support the fight against cancer in another city,” Andy said. “Matt was only 18 months older than me. We grew up together and were teammates — sometimes co-conspirators — on all kinds of adventures as kids.”
With the help of his extended family and friends, Team Rieger has raised more than $90,000 across both events. Andy’s father Gil and brother Thad, who have each faced their own cancer diagnoses, now swim or volunteer alongside him. The ripple effect of Team Rieger has become a family legacy in action.
And even amid grief, new joy has emerged. In 2022, Andy reconnected at the Houston swim with Kristen Paternina, a former YMCA swim teammate he hadn’t seen in three decades. The two married in 2024, a full-circle moment made possible through a cause that has brought healing and new beginnings.
“I wanted to honor Jordana and pay it forward to all those who supported my family,” Andy shared. “Swim Across America was a perfect match for the two things I was passionate about: fighting cancer and swimming. It’s become a community that has given back to me as much as I’ve tried to give to it.”
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According to the American Cancer Society, more than 2 million Americans are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2025. While those numbers are sobering, there is hope: over 18 million Americans today are living with a history of invasive cancer, a testament to ongoing research and treatment advancements. Events like the Swim Across America – Houston swim help fund that progress, one splash at a time.
Founded in 1987, Swim Across America has raised over $120 million for cancer research and clinical trials. Its funding has contributed to the development of FDA-approved immunotherapies like Keytruda, Opdivo, Yervoy, and Tecentriq. Just this past year, the organization supported a breakthrough immunotherapy-only clinical trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering and awarded pioneering gene editing research grants to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy.
To learn more or register for the October 11th Houston swim — whether to participate, volunteer, or donate — visit swimacrossamerica.org/houston.
Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for more inspiring stories and local events that bring our community together.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
