On a warm and sunny Saturday morning in August, Judy Caves and three friends raised $11,500 by swimming in the Monongahela River — a place that might raise a Pittsburgher’s eyebrow, considering our former (and dirty) steel town glory.

Caves, a Sleepy Hollow Drive resident, said the rivers are safer now than in previous decades. In 1972, the Clean Water Act made it illegal for industries to dump pollutants and chemicals in waterways without a permit. “Back when the steel industry was booming and slag was spilled everywhere, that was a concern. But now, it’s much cleaner,” she explained.

A more pressing concern for Caves is the county sewage system, which connects to local waterways. Heavy rains can cause sewage overflow, so Caves receives water quality alerts from Allegheny County Sanitary Authority when the rivers are impacted. It usually takes 48 hours after a heavy rainfall for the water to return to safe conditions. With these precautions in place, Caves feels secure taking advantage of the city’s rivers.

“There’s nothing like it,” said 64-year-old Caves. “Believe it or not, we have blue heron that fly over us. That just tells you how healthy the water is, because healthy fish are living in that water.”

Caves has swum competitively since her time at Keystone Oaks High School but only started open water swimming 15 years ago. She’s clocked 28.5 miles around Manhattan and 18 miles in the Pittsburgh Three Rivers Marathon Swim, plus many other long-distance swims.

Open water swimming is challenging. Swimmers must consider water quality, as well as air and water temperatures, currents and debris. Caves finds winds are worse than the currents, because high winds can make it almost impossible to breathe. On this day, the water temperature was 84 degrees, almost too warm to swim in, according to Caves.

But that didn’t stop her from completing the route and raising the cash for Cancer Bridges, a nonprofit that provides free programs and services to anyone impacted by cancer. Executive Director Stephanie Ciranni said it’s one of the largest amounts they’ve ever received from a third-party fundraiser. “We raise all of [our] money through these independent fundraising efforts, like Judy’s Mission on the Mon, and so we were absolutely thrilled,” said Ciranni.

Cancer Bridges averages 80 to 100 new clients a month, a result of the high cancer rates in the region, Ciranni said. It provides emotional, physical, social and educational support.

This is the fifth year Caves and friends swam the five-mile course for charity in the Monongahela. Jen Kehm at Cancer Bridges contacted Caves after reading about last year’s swim for pancreatic cancer research. “She reached out to me, not about raising money, but just introducing me to Cancer Bridges,” Caves said.

Caves, a retired Seton LaSalle High School guidance counselor, was looking for meaningful ways to spend her newfound free time. She felt connected to Cancer Bridges’s mission and started volunteering at the front desk in their Strip District office.

“One in seven people will be affected by cancer in their lifetime,” Caves explained. Many of her close family members have dealt with cancer. Her mother died from pancreatic cancer in 2005, her father died of liver cancer in 2007, her husband beat a rare form of olfactory cancer in 2007, and her brother is in remission from colon cancer.

“I feel that every day is precious,” Caves said. “I’ve felt the frustration and the anxiety and the fear of having it hit so close to home, that being able to give back when I’m in a position to do it … it’s just so fulfilling and it’s what we’re meant to do.”

Caves swims alongside a kayaker — her husband and best friend, Norman. He watches for hazards in the water, keeps boat traffic away, throws her food and water, and provides support.

“Even though it’s a solo swim, I couldn’t do it without my husband,” she said.

Swimming for hours on end is tasking, but during difficult moments, Caves thinks of the people she’s fundraising for: patients in treatment across the river at Children’s Hospital, friends battling cancer, survivors in her family and those who have passed.

“I don’t have to do this — I get to do this.”