No matter how well you already know me, this is my story.
My older brother has a chronic medical condition. This means plenty of procedures, surgeries, therapies, and doctor's appointments. I grew up in Seattle, with a small Jewish community, and still Chai Lifeline managed to reach us. My brother went to Chai Lifeline's Camp Simcha every summer starting from a very young age, and my mother still says that those are his best smiles. Thank G-d, as time has gone on he’s been doing really well. He even went on an amazing trip to Israel called Wish at the Wall (sponsored by Chai Lifeline of course) in February 2023 - for teens who beat cancer or learned to live with chronic illness. I still hear him laughing at the jokes he cracks with all the friends he made, even years later.
Growing up in this environment, Chai Lifeline and especially Camp Simcha seemed amazing to me. I never thought I would be able to give back. Now I’m in school in Maryland, and I have the opportunity to volunteer with Chai Lifeline Mid-Atlantic. I’ve grabbed every opportunity with both hands, being a respite volunteer, big sister, and camp counselor. This picture above is actually my first little sister, Talya, who BEAT cancer!
I’m shaping my life around these experiences, writing my college applications with all of these stories and the experiences I learned from.
From both ends, I know personally the impact that Chai Lifeline has on kids, families, and volunteers. It’s made me into a better person, it’s brought joy to my family, and it has enabled so much for the kids who need it. I’m running the Miami Marathon so I can prove to myself that I can do hard things, just like these kids do every day. I’m getting up every morning, rain or shine, to train - because I know what a difference I can make. I hope you know that you can, too. That is what real greatness is.