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His Triathlon
effort dedicated to ill child On Sept. 11, one man will swim, bike and run for a Buffalo Grove 6-year-old who can do none of those activities. Attorney Barry Silver, a 55-year-old Northbrook lawyer and Deerfield resident, plans to turn his annual participation in the Lake Geneva Olympic Distance Triathlon into a fund-raiser for Canavan Research Illinois, which is dedicated to finding a cure for Canavan disease. The rare genetic disorder causes its child victims to lose vision and motor skills. Most die by the age of 7 to 10. Max Randell, who is almost 7, is the wheelchair-bound son of Mike and Ilyce. Funds raised by their foundation, which assists researchers in developing treatments, like gene transplants directly into his brain, have kept him functioning at a higher level than most other Canavan kids. For the past four years, Silver has dedicated his participation in the event to different charities. He hopes to top the $8,000 he raised last year from supporter's pledges. He's training hard to swim 1.5K (0.9 mile), bike 40K (24.8 miles), and run 10K (6.2 miles). When it's been rainy, he has stopped to ring out the shirt that bears signatures of his supporters. "Even in good weather, at my age, these distances are very challenging," he says. "I hope to finish in about three to four hours - not the best time, but sufficient to fulfill my promise to the foundation." He's most excited about what will await him at the end of the grueling course. "The Randell family plans to be waiting for me at the end of the race," he says. To make a pledge or a contribution, call (847) 480-2070 or e-mail him at BSS27@aol.com. |