Andrew Hudon practicing for his Lake George planned swim.
Some people can’t quit. Like Lake George man Andrew Hudon who is swimming the length of Lake George over the weekend of Sept. 6-7 to raise awareness and funds for cancer, an event called Ripple Effect. He will begin in Ticonderoga, NY and swim the 32-miles over two days to Lake George Village, NY. Meanwhile on the 7th a relay team of survivors and others touched by colon cancer will run 38 miles down the western shore of the lake. Fundraising goals are set at $10,000. All donations will be divided between colon cancer nonprofits The Colon Club and The Colon Cancer Alliance.
“When I was told I could no longer do any long distance cycling, and that running and triathlon were no longer an option for me, I wanted to show that there is always a way to give back.”
This isn’t the first time Hudon has gone to extreme lengths to raise money for cancer. He began riding for cancer charities in 2006. In 2010 his focus turned to colon cancer as he created and rode the Resilience Ride, a bike ride from Colorado to New York. In 2013 he co-founded Leave it on the Road, a ride across the U.S. that averaged 140 miles per day for 23 days and raised over $50,000. After Leave It On The Road, doctors told him that ultra distance cycling, and any amount of running, were no longer possible due to a knee injury. Andrew didn’t let that stop him. He returned to swimming to maintain fitness, a sport he had done in college and more recently for triathlon, and soon realized the opportunity to raise awareness and funds. Ripple Effect will be his first long-distance swim.
“Being told I could no longer ride or run was very difficult- those activities were a major part of my life. Swimming started as a way to maintain my fitness, but as my workouts got longer, I soon realized I had found a new way to make a difference, I just had to pick the venue.”
Hudon, a true athlete and philanthropist, has ridden thousands of miles and raised over $100,000 for cancer charities over the years. His cancer advocacy began after his mom’s diagnosis of liposarcoma in 2005. As he learned more about cancer and prevention he became inspired by the story of fellow Lake George area native, Molly McMaster, who skated across the U.S. following her colon cancer diagnosis at age 22 before founding the nonprofit The Colon Club. Hudon’s new-found understanding that colon and rectal cancer can be prevented through screening gave him a focus. His fundraising events since 2010 have all gone to raise awareness and funds in the hope of preventing future cases.
“While our Co-Founder, Molly McMaster Morgoslepov, originally inspired Andrew to give back and make a difference, Andrew has inspired the entire Colon Club staff, board of directors, and most importantly, the survivors and their families to continue to “make ripples in the pond,” said Krista Waller, President of The Colon Club. “Partnering with Andrew on the Ripple Effect event is the perfect fit for our organization and followers and we are looking forward to future events with Andrew.”
Hudon plans to be in the water for 18-20 hours over Sept. 6-7. He is available for interviews before and after the event. For more information about the Ripple Effect, please visit http://www.rippleeffectlg.com.