World AIDS Marathon offers hope to 500 orphans

[Guest guest]

M. Brodsky Foundation 1247 Mara Court Atlantic Beach, NY 11509

Contact: R. Brodsky Phone: (516)770-7724 E-mail: richardbpc@...

World AIDS Marathon offers hope to 500 orphans

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the M. Brodsky Foundation sponsored a dinner for 500 orphans at the YMCA in Kisumu, Kenya. These orphans entertained and educated each other by performing AIDS related skits. Their caretakers also spoke about AIDS prevention. Transportation was provided to and from the YMCA site. When one of the caretakers mentioned that it was not just a dinner for the orphans, it was a window of hope for the orphans―that comment alone made the trip to Kenya worthwhile.

Runners traveling from outside Kisumu, Kenya were invited to the dinner and approximately 50 runners had their lodging paid for and their meals as well. If the runners could not afford the $3 registration fee, the fee was waived. However, these runners would not be eligible for the $1,000 prize package for the fastest runners competing in the marathon & half marathon. Special thanks to Mayor Prisca Auma for flagging off the marathon as well as her hospitality.

On World AIDS Day, the M. Brodsky Foundation in conjunction with the Kisumu AIDS Marathon Organization sponsored a marathon, half marathon and a 5K fun walk. After the marathon there were free voluntary HIV testing and counseling tents set up for people to determine their HIV status. There were dancers, bands and speakers after the marathon. I may not have witnessed it firsthand but we do have tapes of the day’s events. As an HIV-positive, brain cancer survivor, I did finish the marathon at 06:15. The good news was that as the oldest runner there were some runners who finished even after me. The bad news was that even my HIV-negative wife beat me by a half hour. What shocked me during the run was the fact that a five year old boy jogged barefoot with me for eight miles on some of the roughest, bumpiest terrain I had ever run on. These children desperately need shoes, clothing, food, clean drinking water, education and many are orphans who need homes. Even more shocking was the fact how AIDS has affected everyone’s life. Here, in America, a minority of people know of a sibling, parent, aunt, uncle, cousin or friend who has died of AIDS. In Kenya, the vast majority of people know of multiple people who have died of AIDS. What’s even more tragic is that for approximately $150 a year AIDS medicine can be provided to an adult and for approximately $200 a year AIDS medicine can be provided to a child.

On December 2nd, the M. Brodsky Foundation sponsored a free concert. Special thanks to Limpopo International, Kenyanna, and His Majesty, The Mighty King Kong for performing free. The foundation did incur booking fees for Jomo Kenyatta Sports Stadium as well as Moi Stadium for the concert as well as transportation, meals and lodging costs for the musicians. It seemed that no matter how hard my foundation tried to help the people of Kenya, there were always obstructionists. Two days before the concert we were told that someone, obviously unauthorized, cancelled our booking for Jomo Kenyatta Sports Stadium.

My foundation kept its promise by making World AIDS Weekend a memorable event to orphans, runners, people whose lives have been affected by AIDS, and the people of Kisumu. We hope that others will help contribute towards these expenses so money can be donated to various AIDS projects, http://www.richardmbrodsky.org/support.html and these events can happen more often. Donations can be made via either website, www.richardmbrodsky.org or www.worldaidsmarathon.com or by mailing a check to the M. Brodsky Foundation at the address noted above.

Senator Barack Obama has wished me success for all three World AIDS Marathons since 2004. It would be my greatest wish to inform Senator Obama that people in America are truly supportive of people whose lives have been affected by AIDS.

[Guest guest]

M. Brodsky Foundation 1247 Mara Court Atlantic Beach, NY 11509

Contact: R. Brodsky Phone: (516)770-7724 E-mail: richardbpc@...

World AIDS Marathon offers hope to 500 orphans

On the eve of World AIDS Day, the M. Brodsky Foundation sponsored a dinner for 500 orphans at the YMCA in Kisumu, Kenya. These orphans entertained and educated each other by performing AIDS related skits. Their caretakers also spoke about AIDS prevention. Transportation was provided to and from the YMCA site. When one of the caretakers mentioned that it was not just a dinner for the orphans, it was a window of hope for the orphans―that comment alone made the trip to Kenya worthwhile.

Runners traveling from outside Kisumu, Kenya were invited to the dinner and approximately 50 runners had their lodging paid for and their meals as well. If the runners could not afford the $3 registration fee, the fee was waived. However, these runners would not be eligible for the $1,000 prize package for the fastest runners competing in the marathon & half marathon. Special thanks to Mayor Prisca Auma for flagging off the marathon as well as her hospitality.

On World AIDS Day, the M. Brodsky Foundation in conjunction with the Kisumu AIDS Marathon Organization sponsored a marathon, half marathon and a 5K fun walk. After the marathon there were free voluntary HIV testing and counseling tents set up for people to determine their HIV status. There were dancers, bands and speakers after the marathon. I may not have witnessed it firsthand but we do have tapes of the day’s events. As an HIV-positive, brain cancer survivor, I did finish the marathon at 06:15. The good news was that as the oldest runner there were some runners who finished even after me. The bad news was that even my HIV-negative wife beat me by a half hour. What shocked me during the run was the fact that a five year old boy jogged barefoot with me for eight miles on some of the roughest, bumpiest terrain I had ever run on. These children desperately need shoes, clothing, food, clean drinking water, education and many are orphans who need homes. Even more shocking was the fact how AIDS has affected everyone’s life. Here, in America, a minority of people know of a sibling, parent, aunt, uncle, cousin or friend who has died of AIDS. In Kenya, the vast majority of people know of multiple people who have died of AIDS. What’s even more tragic is that for approximately $150 a year AIDS medicine can be provided to an adult and for approximately $200 a year AIDS medicine can be provided to a child.

On December 2nd, the M. Brodsky Foundation sponsored a free concert. Special thanks to Limpopo International, Kenyanna, and His Majesty, The Mighty King Kong for performing free. The foundation did incur booking fees for Jomo Kenyatta Sports Stadium as well as Moi Stadium for the concert as well as transportation, meals and lodging costs for the musicians. It seemed that no matter how hard my foundation tried to help the people of Kenya, there were always obstructionists. Two days before the concert we were told that someone, obviously unauthorized, cancelled our booking for Jomo Kenyatta Sports Stadium.

My foundation kept its promise by making World AIDS Weekend a memorable event to orphans, runners, people whose lives have been affected by AIDS, and the people of Kisumu. We hope that others will help contribute towards these expenses so money can be donated to various AIDS projects, http://www.richardmbrodsky.org/support.html and these events can happen more often. Donations can be made via either website, www.richardmbrodsky.org or www.worldaidsmarathon.com or by mailing a check to the M. Brodsky Foundation at the address noted above.

Senator Barack Obama has wished me success for all three World AIDS Marathons since 2004. It would be my greatest wish to inform Senator Obama that people in America are truly supportive of people whose lives have been affected by AIDS.