Two local Teaneck teens, siblings with Charcot Marie Tooth Syndrome, are participating in the upcoming half marathon in the Bahamas to raise funds for Kids of Courage (KOC), a nonprofit that works to improve the lives of children and young adults with serious medical diagnoses.

Racheli, 13, a student at Moriah, and Tzvi, 16, a student at Teaneck High, have both been participating in Kids of Courage programming for three years. They, and others with medical problems that can make normal activities very difficult, have each done a variety of things through KOC. They’ve gone jet skiing, horseback riding, swimming with dolphins, held alligators, gone for rides in Lamborghinis, and traveled to both San Francisco and Florida. Charcot Marie Tooth Syndrome would make these activities impossible for most, but KOC makes it possible and Racheli and Tzvi both appreciate it.

Tzvi used to go horseback riding and his opportunity to do so through KOC made him “feel empowered again.” Racheli’s experience with dolphins at last year’s marathon was something she never thought she could do. A counselor held her in the water and she thought to herself, “This is not happening, this is unbelievable.”

Racheli’s experience with dolphins happened during last year’s trip to the Bahamas where she and her brother were both slated to participate. Tzvi, unfortunately, got sick the day beforehand and could not go. Racheli had just had surgery and found walking across the finish line to be very difficult, but it was still “really fun and really exhilarating” for her.

Part of the fun comes not just from the activities, but also from the friends KOC participants make. Racheli, who has friends in KOC ranging in age from 5 to 25, emphasized the counselors, volunteers who are matched up with participants on trips. “The counselors love to see us happy and we, the campers, really appreciate what they do for us,” she said.

Counselors keep in touch with the campers via skype, phone, and text after the trips. “There’s no better feeling than to see the smiling faces of the campers who are enjoying activities which they normally would not have had the opportunity to,” Elka Fenyes, a Teaneck resident and counselor said.

From the KOC family, three other campers and 70 counselors and volunteers will be in the marathon as part of the KOC team. The three other campers are coming from Lakewood, NJ, New Rochelle, NY, and Baltimore, MD. KOC counselors will be pushing all five KOC participants and one more, the child of an employee at the Atlantis, the hotel all the KOC marathoners will be staying at, on wheelchairs through the marathon.

There are a number of marathons and half marathons in January each year, but KOC’s motto is ‘Conquering Illness through Adventure,’ and the Bahamas is definitely an adventure for the campers who participate,” according to Michael Celler, a volunteer at Kids of Courage. Racheli and Tzvi are both excited in anticipation of the adventure, and the chance to raise money for KOC.

“Kids of Courage is my extended family,” Tzvi said, “I would do anything to help my brothers and sisters,” he added about his decision to be in the marathon. 4

By Aliza Chasan