Race Day
October 19, 2024
A beautiful day!
THANK YOU to our lovely team members: Solomon Woods (Captain), Aster Woods, Emily Huang, Theresa Blackburn, Leah Brannon, Karl Thompson, Clara Thompson, Lucia Thompson, Sandra Chang, Justin Lin, Zara Lin, Kenzie Lin, Athena Lin, Christine Chang, Paul Ramos, Madeleine Ramos, Vivian Chang, Mark Freiheit, Jacob Freiheit, Laura Johnson, Elaine Kim, Lesley O’Malley, Alexandra Ozpaker, Lukas Ozpaker, Felix Ozpaker, and Anne Puglisi.
Thank you to our generous donors!
Eli’s Team 2024 raised an astounding $14,354 for the benefit of brain tumor research at Children’s National Medical Center. We thank the wonderful people who got us to our goal and beyond:
Ail-Ling Cheng, Alexandra Ozpaker, Amy and Phil Cheng, Anna Urciolo, Asher and Karyl Miller, Athena Lin, Barbara Delaney, Carole Clem, Catherine Donaldson, Cheryl Tatham, Christine R. Schadeberg, Clive Harris, Damian and Stephanie Salvatore, David Rubenstein, Debra Lieberman, Efua Acquah, Eileen Lee, Elaine Chang, Elaine Kim, Ellen Feeney, Eric Pernell, Eric and Kai-Ning Cheng, Erik Winfree, Gemma Radko, Helen Lee, Henry and Janet Chang, Huey W Huang, Ira and Kay Abrams, Janette Lin, Jay Hansen, Jeffrey and Ann Lin, Jennifer Holt, Jennifer Perry, Jorden Woods, Josephine Cox, Karen Cyr, Karen Lasday, Kari Wimbish and Dan Huang, Kathie Huang, Kathy Hosseini, Kip Ingram, L. Friedland, Laura Johnson, Lauren Robinson, Lesley O’Malley, Lisa Norwalk, Lisa Whisenhunt, Liz Weiss, Margaret Poethig, Maria Franzetti, Mark England, Maryline Laude, Moira and Bill Davenport, Myung Kim, Nancy Longo, Nicole Parisi, Nora Marshall, Pamela Oves, Patty and Teddy Huang, Paul Huang, Peng, Rae and Woody Dubois, Raju Murthy, Raquel Leder, Roy Howard, Sally Coberly, Sandra Chang and Justin Lin, Sarah Hunter, Sofia Perazzo, Sophie and Calvin Chang, Stella Tea, Stephen Applebaum, Susan Hunt, Susan Reed, Tatyana Kramskaya, Theresa Blackburn, Vickie Baily, Vivian Chang, Vivian and Ben Huang, Yvette Rose, the Geneva Day School, The Carr Family, and The Webers.
Race for Every Child 2024: Eli’s Team
Our child Eli passed away 11 years ago from brain cancer—if he were alive today, he would have just graduated from high school and started college. We are always thinking about Eli and want to recognize this moment in time by bringing together family, friends, and neighbors to join Eli’s Team in Children’s National Medical Center’s Race for Every Child 2024. Our fundraising will help provide support to kids and families currently fighting brain cancer.
All money raised by Eli’s Team will be directed to the neuro-oncology program at Children’s National. When Eli was diagnosed with medulloblastoma just short of his third birthday, the doctors, nurses, and support staff of Children’s helped us beat back the cancer into remission. They were by our side five years later when Eli had to battle cancer again, helping us with the best available medical options and the services to maintain Eli’s quality of life at home. The doctors and nurses at CNMC prioritize research targeting new cures and excellent daily care for their patients.
Our team will also celebrate Eli’s spirit—his love of life, spontaneity, and creativity. Eli was our strength throughout the battle with cancer, showing us how to “look to life” and share joy with each other. Likewise, Eli inspires our family every day to keep our eyes on what is truly important during challenging times. Please visit this team page from time to time for new posts of art and words from Eli or inspired by his spirit.
Eli’s Team in 2017
Children’s National Medical Center’s Race for Every Child is an annual 5K fundraiser. In 2017, on a beautiful day in October, over 30 friends gathered to walk or run in honor of Eli. We raised $11,000 for CNMC, but just as importantly we came together for Eli, and for kids fighting cancer.
Getting to Know Eli’s Spirit Through Art
This is a picture of Eli’s we like to call “Pizza Hop.” As one can see, the slice of pizza has a special contraption for motoring around and can hop out at its destination. In the sky, the two suns show that this pizza inhabits a binary star system where a cheese pie can deliver itself!
Eli’s Spirit Through Art
Like “Pizza Hop,” the vibrant colors and sense of action make this piece by Eli a family favorite. We call it “R2D2—Flash!” and the crackle of electricity powers up the page.
Art Inspired by Eli
This portrait by older sibling Aster graces Eli’s door at home. It succinctly captures Eli’s wide-eyed impishness.
Art Inspired by Eli
Eli’s love for animals, color and movement established for us a parallel between his spirit and wild birds. In this drawing juxtaposing Eli and a nuthatch, Emily first tried to express this connection.
Art Inspired by Eli
The catbird, a sassy bird who can keep up an almost constant chatter, evokes Eli’s spirit in this charming watercolor by Emily.
Getting to Know Eli’s Spirit through Words
Eli’s gift for words made us laugh, defused stressful situations, and constantly surprised us. Some of our most treasured interchanges include:
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Nurse: “Don’t you want to do your vital signs?”
Eli: “No! I’m trying to work!”
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Eli: “What about my hiccups? How do I stop hiccupping? Can we solve the mystery of hiccups?”
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Eli’s Spirit through Words
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Mommy: “Fee, fi, fo fum …”
Eli: “I smell the blood of an English muffin!”
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Eli: “Can I do something strange that no one else would do?”
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Eli’s Spirit through Words
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Refusing a second helping …
Eli: “I’m recovering from the deliciousness …”
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Daddy: “Are you hungry for knowledge?”
Eli: (drinking from cup) “I’m thirsty for milk.”
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Eli’s Spirit through Words
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Unraveling the logic …
Eli: “The proof is in the pudding!”
Eli: “Where’s the pudding?”
Eli: “I don’t know where the pudding is. But I know where the proof is. So the proof is not in the pudding!”
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A late night conversation …
Eli: “[My cousin’s] name is Athena?”
Mommy: “That’s right.”
Eli: “That means she’s a goddess?”
Mommy: “Well … she’s named after a goddess.”
Eli: “No fair … call me ZEUS!”
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Eli’s Spirit through Words
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Eli: “Come on over to the loving factory!”
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