EAST LANSING, Michigan, April 9. MAKE sure to set your DVRs to record a fabulous swimming-related documentary scheduled to air on the Big Ten Network this Thursday. <\/p>\n
“Swimming Towards a Cure,” an MSUToday-produced documentary, is about six women from Michigan who swam the English Channel as a fundraiser for ALS research. The documentary is set to air at 10 p.m. on April 11 on the Big Ten Network, immediately following the MSU vs. Lansing Lugnuts exhibition baseball game. <\/p>\n
Amanda Mercer, the English Channel 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n