“She sat in a chair while my dad shaved her head.”

Abby Reynolds is participating in her first Swim Across the Sound Marathon on August 2nd. When Abby was just a child, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. “I was old enough to feel the fear, but too young to fully understand the severity of it.”

Abby recalls the day her mother began to lose her hair from chemotherapy. “We went outside as a family, and she sat in a chair while my dad shaved her head. My siblings and I ran around the yard, laughing and playing, unaware of the full weight of what was happening. My parents worked hard to protect us from the pain, but they didn’t do it alone.”

Like so many families dealing with a cancer diagnosis, the Reynolds’ family, friends and neighbors rallied with support. “They brought meals, cleaned the house, did laundry and drove us to school. That love and support allowed my parents to focus on healing and parenting, and it showed me how powerful a community can be.”

Abby’s mother has now beaten cancer – not once, but twice. “She is the strongest person I know. She is resilient, compassionate and is always finding ways to support others, just as so many supported her.”

Abby says swimming across Long Island Sound is my way to honor not only her mother, but all those who cared and helped her family through the most difficult of times. “It’s a reminder that none of us should fight alone and that with a community behind you, even the most difficult battles can be faced.”

As a member of the Blue Marbles relay team, Abby is ready to go all in for this year’s marathon. “This challenge is personal to me,” said Abby. “It gives me the chance to take action, to use my voice and my strength for something that not everyone has the opportunity or ability to do.”

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