Mama Sarah, seated in green robe, President Obama’s 93 year old Kenyan grandmother giving away $1,000 in prize awards raised by Richard M. Brodsky Foundation.
10 wheelchair participants finished the marathon/half-marathon
The 10th anniversary was also marked by Stephen Bennett, for donating an image for the World AIDS Marathon t-shirt and Rupert Reyneke, for designing the lettering to coordinate with the image. Stephen’s work is featured in a series of United Nations Postage Stamps.
Europeans, Africans, Americans set to run a PR
Running for GOLD
Uganda runners and walkers support World AIDS Marathon
Uganda children participate in 300+ children’s walk
Jodi and Richard Brodsky race to finish
Uganda children participate in 300+ children’s walk
Click on any photo to enlarge
The Richard M. Brodsky Foundation sponsored 3 orphan dinner dances for 771 Kenyan orphans on November 28, 29 and 30, 2015. 99 orphans were examined and treated at these festive dinners by Dr. Richard Sartori of Garden City Pediatrics. Mercy Abala served as a medical volunteer/translator to expedite the medical exams at the three orphan dinner dances. The medicine was donated by Dr. Sartori and Methuselah Rombo of Winam Chemists.
75% of the kids had intestinal parasites. The cure is one chewable tablet and another tablet in two weeks
75% had malaria and the cure is a 3 day treatment; one or two pills a day depending on the age and weight of the child.
80% had skin lesions, tinea, which is a fungal rash. The rash is treated with a cream and the child is sent home with the cream and is instructed to apply the cream twice a day until the rash is gone.
less than 5% had asthma
The above percentages are based on Dr. Sartori's examining 99 children. That would equate to 74 children having parasites and 74 children having malaria, obviously some of the children had both malaria and parasites. Dr. Sartori said, 25% of the children having malaria would die without the lifesaving medicine we provided, while 20% of the children having parasites would die without the medicine they needed. If you do the math that equates to 33 children who would die without the medicine they need. Sadly, most of these children do not receive medical help during the year which is probably why, according to UNICEF, one child in 19 will die before their 5th birthday.
With your help, the Richard M. Brodsky Foundation is seeking to improve the quality of life of Kenyan children and substantially reduce the number of Kenyan children dying. You’re invited to dine and dance with the Kenyan orphans, get in a cage with a cheetah, and participate in the World AIDS Marathon by viewing the photos on this page. Please also consider donating using the link to the left.
Registrants (non-Kenyans) who paid the $130 registration fee for the 2015 Kisumu, Kenya World AIDS Marathon dined and danced with Kenyan orphans at 3 orphan dinner dances which also included round trip transportation from Kisumu to the dinners. The November 28th dinner was held in Amilo Village; the November 29th dinner was held at Mama Sarah’s, President Obama’s grandmother’s home; and the November 30th dinner was held at Kisumu Museum and was filmed by Sanskrit TV Productions of Spain and aired on pay per view TV in Spain. You can watch the video of the orphan dinner dance and the World AIDS Marathon, . (pictured below is Mama Sarah and Raul Gomez, Spain’s Marathon Man)
The second half of the video focuses on the marathon and November 30th orphan dinner dance. This is also the journey of Spain’s media star Raul Gomez’s trek across Kenya where his enchantment for Kenya is highlighted by meeting Kenya’s Wilson Kipsang, the record holder of the Berlin marathon. Wilson even gives Raul some advice about running the World AIDS Marathon.
November 26, 2015… a visit to the Nairobi Game Preserve. NBA, check out these Maasai jumpers.
November 27, 2015… and performing live from the Kisumu Impala Sanctuary is Dr. Richard Sartori in a cage with a live cheetah. Children, do not try this at home.
Another year, another romantic stroll along Lake Victoria to see zebras and ostriches.
The grey crowned crane indigenous to Kenya and Uganda
Richard, Jodi, elephant & John Mulvey
November 28, 2015… The 3rd annual orphan dinner dance was organized by Beldina Opiyo of Alice Visionary Foundation Project. 406 orphans dined and danced and 33 orphans were examined and treated by Dr. Richard Sartori and medical volunteer Mercy Abala + another 25 were pre-examined by a team of Kenyan doctors and nurses. It all started back in 2004 when Beldina donated $10 to the first ever World AIDS Marathon in Mbita, Kenya. Since 2013 the Richard M. Brodsky Foundation has sponsored three orphan dinner dances for 1,165 Kenyan orphans for Beldina’s organization.
Beldina (purple shirt) has been waiting all year for this day of dancing
More dancing
Doctors pre-examined 25 children so Dr. Sartori could focus on examining & treating the sicker children
406 kids filled their bellies and partied all day
Jodi makes friends with the children wherever she goes
Children are welcoming us by singing songs and reciting poems
November 29, 2015… The inaugural orphan dinner dance for 60 orphans was held at Mama Sarah’s home, President Obama’s Kenyan grandmother in Kogelo Village. Pictured above is 93 year old Mama Sarah (light green and white outfit) dancing, there is also a short YouTube video.
Short notice as we had an orphan dinner dance canceled a few days before we left for Kenya so we were thrilled when Mama Sarah suggested we have it at her home. A caterer was called in on short notice and as they say in Vegas what happens in Kogelo stays in Kogelo.
Dr. Sartori examining one of 23 orphans
Lots of laughing and fun times at Mama Sarah’s home.
Dr. Sartori and I, Richard Brodsky, are both next to the caterer.
Dr. Sartori and the caterer, no wonder why the good doctor wants to retire in Kenya.
Richard, Jodi, a woman in red, and Mercy Abala and her mom partying.
Left to right, John Mulvey, Mama Sarah, Richard and Jodi Brodsky, Dr. Richard Sartori, Rene Wallesch ( a German Marathon runner), and Mercy Abala’s Mother.
I never thought I would get to meet President Obama and he listened to every word I had to say so intently, almost as if he were a statue.
November 30, 2016… 300 orphans dined and danced at Kisumu Museum. The 2nd annual orphan dinner dance was organized by Oron Isaac of Belfon Foundation. Dr. Richard Sartori and medical volunteer Mercy Abala examined and treated 43 Kenyan orphans. The Event was filmed by Sanskrit Productions and has appeared on pay-per-view TV in Spain.
Photo: left to right, Heidi Isaac; Jodi and Richard Brodsky; John Mulvey, an American marathon runner; and two volunteers serving dinner.
The children were all over Dr. Richard Sartori and they just could not get enough of him
Richard Brodsky dancing with the orphans
Rene Wallesch, a German marathon runner dancing the orphans
Raul Gomez dancing with the orphans
Dr. Richard L. Sartori dancing with the orphans
While all the dancing was going on, Jodi Brodsky had to thank and shake the hand of every child for coming to the orphan dinner dance
The boy on the right loves his sister so much he can’t stop kissing her.
There is so much humanity in the world. Dr. Sartori (left) and Methuselah Rombo of Winam Chemists (right), a local pharmacist in Kisumu, Kenya donated the medicine to save the lives of the Kenyan orphans.
December 1, 2015… Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground, 6:30 am. World AIDS Day… 323 participants including 10 disabled runners registered for the World AIDS Marathon, half marathon and relay races.
You can view a full set of the 2015 WAM Race Results. The winners of the marathon and half marathon are as follows:
- Male marathon: Bernard Boor, 02:25:05
- Female marathon: Rebecca Chepchir, 02:49:40
- Male half marathon: Robert Samoyo, 01:05:16
- Female half marathon: Eddina Kimitel, 01:26:21
- Male disabled marathon: Simon Odhiambro, 01:28:28
- Male disabled half marathon: Pascal Ayugi, 02:53:40
- Half marathon female disabled: Beatrice Achieng 2:05:03
- Relay Team: Francis Mbaya, Nicholas Bill, Evance Kiprono, Lyton Cheriot, Robert Soweyo, 1:11:07
For me, Richard Brodsky, it was not the PR I had hoped for, but I did promise to run with Jodi. I still believe that people, even people living with HIV and cancer can reverse their aging process if they lead a healthy lifestyle and have access to doctors and medicine. Sadly, this is not possible in Africa as there is too much malaria, tuberculosis, poverty and a lack of doctors and medicine, clean drinking water and an adequate supply of nutritious food.
Dr. Richard Sartori is AMERICA'S HERO OF THE YEAR for 2015 due to his commitment to improving and saving the lives of Kenyan orphans.
AMERICA'S CO-HEROES OF THE YEAR for 2015 are (1) Jodi Brodsky for being a woman whose commitment to helping the orphans of Kenya is unmatched and (2) John Mulvey for being the oldest finisher of the World AIDS Marathon and his kindness and caring towards everyone he meets.
