Ten members of the Burgida and Spangenthal families will be walking in the half-marathon as part of Team Lifeline in Miami Beach on February 2.
This will be their first participation as an extended family in the marathon as part of the team sponsored by the international chesed organization Chai Lifeline. Their goal of raising $100,000 will be designated toward Team Sophie, named in memory of their beloved daughter and niece whose short life was made brighter through the special programs offered by Chai Lifeline.
Both the Burgida family of Englewood and the Spangenthal family of Fair Lawn have dealt with the challenge of childhood cancer, and both at approximately the same time. When Sophie Spangenthal was only 3, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of childhood cancer. As she was the oldest child of Jenny and David, they were in great need of a support system.
Fortunately, Chai Lifeline stepped in to help. Sophie’s weeks at Camp Simcha were the highlights of her year. A devoted team of young counselors made her stay magical and lifted her spirits beyond her family’s anticipation. She was truly loved by these dedicated counselors who called her “a light, a fighter, a joy and a force.” Sophie spent the last two weeks of her life at Camp Simcha. She passed away in July of 2019, at the age 5, and Lifeline’s Team Sophie has been dedicated to her memory ever since.
Bennett Burgida was 10 when the dreaded diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma was delivered to his parents, Gail and Jake. Knowing of the services being provided to great-niece Sophie, the Burgidas turned to Chai Lifeline for support. It came in the form of devoted volunteers who visited their home to spend time with Bennett’s two older brothers, Max and Aidan. These special young men took the boys out for days of fun while their parents were occupied with Bennett’s care. Happily, Bennett, now 18, recovered fully after a year’s treatment and is now a healthy senior at SAR.
Bennett’s brother Aidan,19, shared: “Through Chai Lifeline’s coordination, they took us away from our grim reality with simple gestures, through taking us out to dinner, making us laugh or just sharing good times.We were never made to feel like we were being ‘helped.’ Instead, it felt natural, as if the joy and support were just part of the air we breathed when they were around. It was a reminder that sometimes the greatest gift is simply making life feel lighter, even when the weight of the world is pressing down.”
This coming marathon will mark the first in-person participation of the Burgida and Spangenthal families. They will head down to Miami on Thursday, January 30, to join the other hundreds of Team Lifeline participants for a festive Shabbat. They will be wined and dined appropriately, and participate in joyous Shabbat programming. A Saturday night pasta party will conclude the celebrations. At 4 a.m. on Sunday, February 2, they will be shuttled to the track to begin their half-marathon walk of 13.1 miles on behalf of Team Sophie through Team Lifeline.
At the time of the writing of this article, Team Sophie had raised $107,565 for Chai Lifeline’s programs through Team Lifeline, a tribute to the outpouring of love for Sophie by her family, friends and members of the Fair Lawn and Englewood communities.
Gila Burgida expressed her feelings about her family’s participation in the upcoming marathon. “Participating in Team Sophie at the Miami Marathon as part of Chai Lifeline’s mission is truly an honor and a privilege,” she said. “Team Sophie represents resilience, community, and the power of collective action to drive positive change. Being part of this initiative means running not just for personal accomplishment but for a greater cause—helping children and families thrive despite adversity.
“Every mile we run, every step we take, contributes to the healing and support that Chai Lifeline offers to countless families. Together we celebrate the spirit of Sophie, the values of compassion and determination that she inspires, and the incredible work of Chai Lifeline. By joining this effort, we are reminded of the power of community and the importance of standing together to uplift those facing life’s toughest challenges.”
Team Lifeline, which raises funds for the international children’s health support network Chai Lifeline, is the largest contingent at the annual Miami Marathon. Chai Lifeline brings light and hope to children and their families through many services including counseling, hospital visits and hot meals, tutoring and laptop loans for homebound children, sibling programs, family retreats and therapeutic recreational outings for children and families, among other services. The gem of their support services are their two summer programs—Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special.
Camp Simcha is located on a picturesque campus in Glen Spey, New York. It offers children afflicted with cancer a glorious opportunity to experience a traditional camp experience. Through mini-golf, arts and crafts, sports including water-submersible wheelchairs which enable the campers to swim, color war and talent shows, enhanced by helicopter rides and gala concerts, the campers are treated to an incomparable experience.
Camp Simcha Special was created in 2001 to meet the medical and social needs of children with disabilities, chronic or genetic diseases and is located on the Camp Simcha campus. The exceptional counselors on these special programs are college students who are passionate about devoting their summers to the betterment of the lives of children facing medical challenges.
For more information about Chai Lifeline and the upcoming Team Lifeline Marathon go to www.chailifeline.org or call 212-465-1300.
