(Courtesy of Chai Lifeline) Among the runners in this year’s NYC Marathon was 36-year-old Chanan Fish from Teaneck, who had a deeply personal motivation to make it across the finish line. Fish ran as a member of Team Lifeline in support of Chai Lifeline, the international organization that works with children in need of medical and emotional support, and who has been a partner with the Fish family in assisting them with the needs of their special needs child.

“The feeling of completing the marathon is incredible,” Fish said of the 26.2 mile course through New York’s five boroughs. “What made it that much more meaningful was to be able to have all that hard work and months of training towards supporting a cause like Chai Lifeline that is so close to our hearts. It’s an experience I will never forget, and it truly felt like an honor to be a part of something so special.”

For Fish it was the first time he competed in a full marathon. He said that in retrospect he didn’t realize how tough the jump between a half and full course would be, but “the experience of training and preparing for the run has been inspiring both physically and emotionally.”

Team Lifeline regularly brings together avid runners of all levels to participate in marathon events around the world, with the team members united in their commitment to helping the children supported by Chai Lifeline. The organization provides a variety of services for both children with complex diseases and their families including counseling, hospital services, retreats, programs and their well-known summer camps, Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special. All services are provided free of charge, making the organization heavily dependent on a global network of supporters as well as funds raised from experiential fundraising events like these.

“Whether you are an athlete or have never run a mile in your life, Team Lifeline offers an unparalleled experience for an important cause,” said Moshe Turk, director of Team Lifeline. “Our runners run with purpose and show Chai Lifeline’s thousands of families living with pediatric illness that they are not alone.”

Team Lifeline will next gather at the starting line of the upcoming Miami Marathon on January 29, 2023, with the expected participation of several hundred runners on the team. To learn more, visit
www.teamlifeline.org.