Riding in honor of...

This page is dedicated to those who have had or are suffering from brain tumors. The Energy Fitness team raises funds and rides in their honor.

If you know of someone who is or has suffered from a brain tumor, and would like to recognize them in a special way, please let us know and we will gladly ride in their honor.

Marty Elkin

Marty was diagnosed with brain cancer in late 1999. He battled this aggressive and debilitating disease with the same passion that he applied to the rest of his life. To say that he maintained a positive attitude and showed courage would be an understatement. Losing Marty to brain cancer was a tremendous loss for his family, his community, and numerous institutions.

Marcis Braunfelds

Marcis has been courageously battling a brain tumor for 11 years.  In fact, the very first sign of the tumor came with a grande mal seizure on May 16, 1999-- the very day that we will be riding in 2010!  After undergoing treatment for the tumor in 1999, Marcis went into remission and was completely healthy for 7 years.  During that time, he married his longtime girlfriend, Daiva, and had two beautiful children, a son, Jonas, and daughter, Aiste.  Unfortunately, in late December 2006, the tumor returned in an even more malignant form, a glioblastoma multiforme (Grade IV) brain tumor.  At that time, his children were 2 years and 9 months old and the prognosis Marcis was given was very poor.  The kids are now 6 and 4 years old and continue to delight in their Papa every day.  In the course of his treatment, Marcis has undergone 13 brain surgeries, 2 rounds of radiation therapy, and treatment with 7 different chemotherapies.  He has battled back from multiple infections, survived a serious pulmonary embolism, lost the use of the majority of his right side and much of his speech, and spent many hours in rehabilitation fighting to regain those functions.  He had to have a large piece of his skull removed due to infection and spent a year in a helmet until he was able to undergo the 3 surgeries required to implant a titanium plate over the hole in his skull this past January.  Through all of this, Marcis maintains his relentless positivity and sense of humor.  Marcis is doing very well right now and is even enjoying a break from chemotherapy.  He is a little disappointed that he will not be able to ride in the ride this year (he did the ride in 2007 while on chemotherapy!), but he will be there to cheer on the team.  He is hopeful that he will again be on a bike riding with all of us one day.

Gregory Rubin & Carolyn (Rubin) Wallach

Brother Justin's tribute video to Greg and Carolyn: http://vimeo.com/9334088

Justin and Christine Rubin's team "No Next" participating in the Angels Among Us event at the Tisch Brain Tumor Center.

http://dccc.convio.net/site/TR?pg=team&;fr_id=1110&team_id=7101

Liz Hook

"Liesbeth "Liz" Hook lost her battle with a glioblastoma multiforme tumor in July of 2006. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother to six beautiful grandchildren who were her greatest joy! Her diagnosis came as a total shock to everyone and her fight against this terrible disease taught many of us the true meaning of courage, strength, and dignity. Immediately after her diagnosis, Liz underwent surgery to remove the tumor which left her partially paralyzed. This was followed by chemotherapy and radiation.

After several treatments, the devastating nature of this disease became clear. Liz's strength was an inspiration to many who chose selflessly to help care for her and honor her during her battle. Those who knew her understand that this disease was only a small chapter in her rich life for which we are all grateful to have been a part.

George Dickstein

George Dickstein was a treasured husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle.    

On November 19, 2009, he was teaching a college course on English Literature, when he began to feel ill.  He was not able to finish class.  He drove home, and told his beloved wife, Alice, that he didn't feel well.  In the hospital later that night, they found 3 tumors in George's brain.  Two days later, they operated on two of the tumors at Columbia University Medical Center in NYC.

Although George bravely fought, enduring whole brain radiation and numerous seizures, the tumors took him from us on February 3, 2010.  The loss for our family has been far-reaching and deep.  There is a huge, painful void in our lives.

George was both smart and endearing, an intellectual and a liberal, who loved his family with uncommon passion.  He was a gentle soul, who took pleasure in the small things in life.  He loved to sketch on anything he could find:  paper, napkins, or a piece of newspaper.  He wrote original songs, which he would sing to his family at holidays or special events.  He loved watching sports, be it baseball, football, golf or tennis.  And he absolutely loved teaching his classes in English and Writing at the community college near his home. 

George was married for 46 years to the love of his life, Alice.  He had two daughters, Judi and Laura, two sons-in-law, Jack and Roger, and 4 grandchildren, Adam, Lillian, Jacob and Jesse.  George was younger brother to Bob and Joan;  and cherished uncle to Susan, Marc, Jaclyn, Daniel and Andrew.   He adored them all.  

We will never stop missing him.  We love you, Dad.

______________________________________________________________

Elaine Cantor

In January 2007, Elaine Cantor – mother of two, grandmother of five, high school history teacher, and social activist – died of a brain tumor following five years of living heroically with lymphoma. She was 76.

Despite the indirect relation to Elaine, I was very fortunate to have known her and spent time with her. I will always be grateful for her tremendous generosity.

Matthew Reichl

Matthew Reichl lost his battle with a brain tumor in May 2009 and is mourned, loved, and missed deeply by his family and friends.  

Matt graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with bachelors degrees in psychology and in film. While at Michigan, Matt was awarded the Hopwood Senior Drama writing award and with colleagues, produced a short film which won the University of Michigan Film Festival. He was awarded a masters degree of arts in screenwriting from the film school at U.C.L.A. During his 10 years in Los Angeles, he worked to develop feature film screenplays.  Matt waged a valiant battle with brain cancer for more than five years while in CA and more recently with his family in PA. Matt will be remembered for his incredible intellect, creativity and writing talent. He believed strongly that everyone had a responsibility to be an informed citizen and to vote and he was a committed environmentalist. He would want all who loved him to do the same.