The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation will raise money this year through a triathlon event in New Jersey. On July 31st, executives and friends of the foundation will participate in the 2011 Triathlon/Duathlon for Autism in Belmar, New Jersey. The Team Reeve relay team will demonstrate once again that "nothing is impossible" - Christopher Reeve's personal motto.
Alan T. Brown, a board member of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, was spinal cord injured 23 years ago while in the ocean on vacation. He went on to create his own business, become a father and a great philanthropist, while living with quadriplegia. Alan returns to the ocean and will be swimming a quarter mile, the first "leg" of the triathlon.
Jamie Lassner, Alan's life-long friend, will complete the biking "leg" of the race. Twenty years ago, just a few years after Alan's injury, Jamie, a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) biked with Alan for the entire course of the New York City Marathon. He learned first hand all the requisite challenges that a spinal cord injury puts on the body--including temperature control, dehydration and blood pressure spikes. With the ten-year anniversary of 9/11 around the corner, the race also has significance to Jamie as he was a first responder to the tragedy and injured his leg at Ground Zero.
Jamie's oldest son, Sam, completes the team. Sam, 18, has only known Alan since his injury and he became his personal superman to his own hockey career - including serving as an ice hockey coach for an Autistic child. He has made spreading awareness about the Reeve Foundation's dual message of 'Today's Care and Tomorrow's Cure' and the need for greater understanding of challenges faced by people living with disabilities.
Also competing in the July 31 event for Alan's 'Never Say Never' Team are Jamie's younger son Adam, 10, Jamie's wife Mara who went to summer camp with Alan, and Susie Rubin Schein (a classmate of Alan's) and her daughter Emily, 18.
We recently caught up with Janelle Lobello, Communications Coordinator for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation to learn more about the foundation and its involvement in triathlon.
Paul: Is this the first time your group has become involved in triathlon?
Janelle: This is Alan's first time participating in a triathlon, Jamie's second. His first was in June.
Paul: Why did you pick this sport to help build support for your cause?
Janelle: Alan is Florida-based. Jamie lives New York City. After Jamie's first triathlon in June, Alan had told him if he ever participated in another, he would be willing to take on the swimming leg of the race.
Paul: Does your foundation plan to organize any triathlons to raise funds or attention for spinal cord research?
Janelle: Team Reeve, the athletic and fundraising leg of the Reeve Foundation, is open to any one who wants to participate in their own event or race to raise funds for the Reeve Foundation. This could be triathlons and marathons to wine tastings or softball tournaments.
Paul: How has the research that your group supported to date had meaningful impacted on the lives of spinal cord injury victims?
Janelle: We are more than just research. The Reeve Foundation's mission is two-fold -- Today's Care. Tomorrow's Cure. I would suggest that people take a look at this webpage that provides a nice overview of the Reeve Foundation.
Paul: How can people best support your cause?
Janelle: Remember that Team Reeve is more than just athletics. We welcome everyone to join Team Reeve and donate, raise funds, increase awareness, become an advocate for a high quality of life and support research for spinal cord injuries.
To donate to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, visit their website at www.christopherreeve.org or click here. Click this link to learn more about Team Reeve. You can support Alan's Team Reeve fundraising effort by making a donation here.
About the Reeve Foundation
The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy. For more information, please visit our website at ChristopherReeve.org or call 800-225-0292.
Author: Paul Tyler
Paul Tyler is the founder of Triessential.com and a contributor here at TRIJUICE. Triessential offers an iPhone application that provides training tips and motivation every day throughout the entire year.
www.triessential.com
