In 2018, I had the honor of meeting Libi Barak, a beautiful 5-year-old Israeli boy. Although diagnosed with brain cancer, Libi was strong, loving and in a constant state of joyfulness. When Libi was in and out of treatments, Chai Lifeline was always in his corner supporting him and his family. Libi's life was too short but he lived it to its fullest. When I decided I wanted to run the marathon this coming fall, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to honor Libi and his life, and the organization that supported him and his family.

Throughout the year, Chai Lifeline provides emotional, social, and financial assistance to more than 6,000 children and their families. Whether it’s counseling, case management, crisis and trauma intervention, meals delivered to hospitals and homes, transportation to medical appointments, insurance advocacy, i-Shine afterschool programming, Big Brothers and Sisters, or its medically-supervised Simcha summer camps, Chai Lifeline’s innovative services help families navigate the complexities of childhood illness and restore joy and happiness.

Training is not easy, but neither is dealing with illness. If the children of Chai Lifeline can fight each day, if they can push themselves through hospital stays and treatments, I can do this for them. But I can't do this without your support. I need your help to raise as much money as possible for these kids. I’ve set a challenging goal for myself to raise $6,000 in support of Chai Lifeline. Your generous donation will help me move closer to my goal and make a difference in the lives of so many sick children. Let's do this together! 

Thank you - Matan