WestConn swimmers to participate in “Hour of Power”
Relay for Cancer Research on Nov. 10

DANBURY, CT (Nov. 5) — It is nearly impossible to find anyone whose life has not been touched by cancer, whether it is through a friend, family member, or even a teammate. The swimmers at [enter name of school or club here] have found one more way to fight back: the fourth annual Ted Mullin “Leave it in the Pool” Hour of Power Relay for Pediatric Sarcoma Research, sponsored by the Carleton College swimming and diving teams, set for Tuesday, Nov. 10.

WestConn joins with approximately 5,900 athletes from 119 college, high school, and club teams across the nation — as well as students-abroad teams — to participate in the “Hour of Power,” honoring those who are fighting or have succumbed to cancer, including former Carleton swimmer Edward H. “Ted” Mullin, who passed away from synovial sarcoma, a rare soft-tissue cancer, in September 2006.

As of Oct. 30, 2009, a total of 96 college swimming programs encompassing 33 different conferences and one independent have signed up to take part in this year’s event. The event encompasses programs from NCAA Division I, II and III. Additionally, 23 club, high-school and students-abroad teams will participate.

The event — held in each team’s home pool — is a one-hour, all-out, leave-it-in-the-pool practice consisting of continuous relays, using any stroke. Wherever possible participating teams begin and finish the “Hour of Power” workout at the same time, using their respective and corresponding time zones from the East Coast to the West Coast. This means thousands of swimmers will be in the water at the same time in support of the battle against cancer. Although some teams are forced to schedule their event at another time due to various conflicts, the official start time is set for 4 p.m., Central Standard Time on Nov. 10.

First held on Nov. 7, 2006, the “Hour of Power” Relay has grown from 15 teams the first year to the current 119 teams with 5,900 student-athletes on four continents in 2009.

All teams are invited to get involved in the “Hour of Power” whether or not they decide to raise funds. Since the event began three years ago, participants raised more than $112,000 for the Ted Mullin Fund for Pediatric Sarcoma Research at the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital where Ted received treatment. The “Hour of Power” also aims to promote team spirit and to generate awareness of sarcoma, a rare cancer that disproportionately affects adolescents and young adults.

Funds raised during the event act as seed funding for the University of Chicago pediatric sarcoma research program, allowing collaborative efforts between clinicians and physician-scientists in the identification of the causes of sarcoma, at the most basic molecular and cellular levels. With a team of dedicated pediatric oncologists, orthopedists, and radiation therapists in place, the Ted Mullin Fund enabled the University of Chicago to recruit Stephen X. Skapek, M.D., an expert in the study and treatment of sarcomas. Dr. Skapek and team are working in the lab to translate new scientific discoveries into improved therapies for sarcoma patients like Ted Mullin.

Interested college, high school and club teams are invited to register for the “Hour of Power” and find more information at http://go.carleton.edu/HourOfPower. You can also contact Carleton College head coach Andy Clark at aclark@carleton.edu or Rick Mullin at rmullin9@comcast.net.