In February 2025 I am joining Team Sophie, which returns for its 6th Team Lifeline marathon (for me 1/2 marathon), to help raise money for Chai Lifeline and Camp Simcha!

Camp Simcha, in particular, is a sleep-away camp that's specifically built to accept children with life-threatening illnesses. The first year Sophie went to camp, she was only 4.5 years old. She went the entire 10 nights away from home without a second thought. For a short time, she was able to completely forget about her illness and chemo treatments and instead enjoy every single moment of her days surrounded by some of the most incredible friends, counselors and staff. At camp, Sophie had the chance to be whatever she wanted to be.

Each day was an adventure: she got to ride in a helicopter, go boating, watch fireworks, bake, dance and eat ice cream every day (sometimes multiple times a day). One day she would dress up as a princess, the next day a fairy, the next a nurse. There wasn't a spot on her head that wasn't covered in face paint and tattoos. From the minute she came home that first summer she was already looking forward to returning the next year and she told stories about camp the entire year.

There was no stopping her from going back to camp the following summer in 2019. Even though she was very ill, Sophie somehow found the strength to pick up and go to camp, and this time she didn't call home once the entire 12 days. That second year she lost her first tooth, used up all of the camp's sprinkles and was able to find peace and happiness in a magical place that, to her, existed solely to make her happy.

Sadly, Sophie passed away in the summer of 2019.

Please donate or even consider joining our team! You can walk, run, or donate to an incredible organization that exists for the sole purpose (pun intended) of helping amazing kids like Sophie find happiness.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for reading, sharing, donating, and joining.