Hi team,

A few months back, Dad—who just turned 70—called me and said, “Hey Yoni, what are you doing this June?”
I replied, “Working, I guess?”
Without skipping a beat, he said, “Great—you’re running Comrades with me.”

Turns out, he wasn’t joking.

So, on June 8th, I’ll be running Comrades—a 90-kilometre (60ish-mile) ultramarathon through South Africa, from Pietermaritzburg to Durban. As mum would say, it’s “a bit mad”—others might call it a physical and mental test of limits. Either way, I’ve decided to turn this challenge into something a little more meaningful by raising money for Chai Lifeline, an incredible organisation that supports children with cancer and their families.

Years ago, I volunteered at Camp Simcha, Chai Lifeline’s summer camp for kids with cancer. That experience changed the direction of my life. It inspired me to go into medicine—and eventually become a pediatric oncologist.

Last year, I had the chance to return to Camp Simcha as a doctor, and seeing the impact of Chai Lifeline up close again reminded me why this work matters. From emotional counselling to crisis support, from hospitals to homes to summer camps, the Chai Lifeline team shows up for these kids and their families when they need it most.

The world’s a bit crai out there—and any support, good thoughts, comments, or even a bit of joy you can share—big or small—would mean the world. It’ll go toward helping children and families get through some of their hardest moments with just a bit more laughter and love.

Sending love xxx

Yoni