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My ALYN Ride

#MyALYNRide Personal Challenge for ALYN Hospital

0% raised of $2,000,000
#MyALYNRide

Ride a bike, change a life: ANYWHERE

Because of the Corona Pandemic, many riders who are a part of the Wheels of Love family are unable to travel to Israel.

We challenge you — to take on a meaningful cycling challenge — and help the children of ALYN. We will create a fundraising page featuring your challange that you can send to the friends and family who sponsor your ride every year.

The exact challenge is up to you. You can ride 400 kilomters in one day (as one of our riders just did) or you can aim to ride as many miles as possible in one month. Anything goes. (See below for some example.)

The kids at ALYN need your help like never before!

So what’s your goal?

 

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The Routes

Road Group Daily Avg: 80km (50 miles) — Climbing: 661m (2,168 ft) —  Pace 16kph (10 mph)

Road Group STRAVA Links: Sunday     Monday     Tuesday     Wednesday     Thursday  

The Road Group will spend Sunday on a mostly flat beautiful route that crosses from forest to semi arid land on the border of the desert. Well-stocked pit stops (water, energy drinks, fresh fruit, energy bars, nuts, pretzels, etc) allow riders to refresh and relax throughout the day. Roads will be closed by the Israeli police as the ride comes through.

Mechanical and medical support accompany the ride, along with a SAG bus for riders who need a break. After the ride, we will be staying at the new Kedma Hotel in Sde Boker, a breathtaking desert oasis where all roads groups will stay for the first 3 nights.

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 342 m/1,122 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF.

The main Road group will spend Monday on a pleasant desert circular route that will start and finish at the Kedma Hotel in Sde Boker.  

Distance and climbing will be similar to Day One as we ride by the Mashabei Sade National Park and the growing Negev City of Yeruham.

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 495 m/1,624 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF.

On Tuesday, riders will traverse the spectacular Great Crater, a unique geological formation in Israel. The route includes the steep but short switchbacks up to the rim of the crater.

After the climb, riders will enjoy one of the best scenic views in all of Israel before heading back to the Kedma hotel in Sde Boker. 

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 640 m/2,100 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF

On the Road Group’s final day riding in the South, riders will complete a metric century (100 km/62 mi) through the beautiful desert scenery. Through a large portion of the ride, riders will see areas set aside for training of the Israeli Army’s Armored Corp and we may even see battle tanks on maneuver.

Along the way, the route passes by the Tzelim Urban Warfare Center. In 2005, the IDF, with American assistance, built this replica Middle East city complete with mosques, Arab style buildings, and factories. Elite units of the IDF and the American Army train here to prepare for fighting in this type of area.

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 294 m/965 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF.

The final day of the 2020 ALYN Wheels of Love ride begins in the hills around Jerusalem and will end at the incredible finish line at ALYN Hospital. The toughest challenge of the day is the ascent of Nes Harim. This is a steep, winding road that Wheels of love has ridden almost every year. After a ten kilometer climb, riders will enjoy their last pit stop.

Hundreds of riders from all the road groups will gather together and ride the final segment to ALYN Hospital together. At ALYN, riders will be warmly embraced and presented with commemorative medallions by hundreds of children being treated at ALYN and their families.

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 1,538 m/5,045 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF.

Road Plus Group Daily Avg: 89 km ( 55 miles) — Climbing: 770 m ( 2,526 ft) —  Pace 20kph (12 mph)

Road Group STRAVA Links: Sunday     Monday     Tuesday     Wednesday     Thursday  

Road Plus will start Wheels of Love with a fast, beautiful route around the forests of Central Israel.  Well-stocked pit stops (water, energy drinks, fresh fruit, energy bars, nuts, pretzels, etc) allow riders to refresh and relax throughout the day. Roads will be closed by the Israeli police as the ride comes through.

Mechanical and medical support accompany the ride, along with a SAG bus for riders who need a break. After the ride, we will be staying at the new Kedma Hotel in Sde Boker, a breathtaking desert oasis where all roads groups will stay for the first 3 nights.

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 351 m/1,150 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF.

Road Plus takes a long route in the shape of a figure eight on the second day. Since we will pass through Sde Boker before starting the Southern loop, riders will have the option to shorten the day.

A highlight of the ride will be a visit to the desert grave of David Ben Gurian, Israel’s first Prime Minister.

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 796 m/2,611 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF.

On Tuesday, riders will traverse the spectacular Great Crater, a unique geological formation in Israel. The route includes the steep but short switchbacks up to the rim of the crater.

After the climb, riders will enjoy one of the best scenic views in all of Israel before heading back to the Kedma hotel in Sde Boker. 

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 640 m/2,100 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF

On the Road Plus Group’s final day riding in the South, riders will complete our longest day yet — 120 kilometers through the beautiful desert scenery. We will ride through areas set aside for training of the Israeli Army’s Armored Corp and we may even see battle tanks on maneuver.

Along the way, the route passes by the Tzelim Urban Warfare Center. In 2005, the IDF, with American assistance, built this replica Middle East city complete with mosques, Arab style buildings, and factories. Elite units of the IDF and the American Army train here to prepare for fighting in this type of area.

We will finish in Ber Sheva where riders will be staying for the final night of Wheels of Love.

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 315 m/1,033 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF.

The final day of the 2020 ALYN Wheels of Love ride begins in the hills around Jerusalem and will end at the incredible finish line at ALYN Hospital. The toughest challenge of the day is the ascent of Nes Harim. This is a steep, winding road that Wheels of love has ridden almost every year. After a ten kilometer climb, riders will enjoy their last pit stop.

Hundreds of riders from all the road groups will gather together and ride the final segment to ALYN Hospital together. At ALYN, riders will be warmly embraced and presented with commemorative medallions by hundreds of children being treated at ALYN and their families.

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 1,538 m/5,045 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF.

Challenge Group Daily Average: 110km (68 miles) — Climbing: 964 m (3,163 ft) — Pace 30kph (19 mph)

Road Group STRAVA Links: Sunday     Monday     Tuesday     Wednesday     Thursday

If you are not sure which route to choose, check out our training guide

Challenge will start Wheels of Love with a fast, beautiful circular route around the forests of Central Israel.  Well-stocked pit stops (water, energy drinks, fresh fruit, energy bars, nuts, pretzels, etc) allow riders to refresh and relax throughout the day. Roads will be closed by the Israeli police as the ride comes through.

Mechanical and medical support accompany the ride, along with a SAG bus for riders who need a break. After the ride, we will be staying at the new Kedma Hotel in Sde Boker, a breathtaking desert oasis where all roads groups will stay for the first 3 nights.

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 610 m/2,001 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF.

Monday takes the Challenge Group on a magnificent desert tour, starting and finishing at Sde Boker. We will traverse the Great Crater, including the short but incredible steep switchback road to Yeruham on the rim of the crater.

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 871 m/2,857 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF.

 

Challenge Riders will leave early on Tuesday for our 138 kilometer tour through the Negev Desert. We will ride along Route #40, one of the most picturesque roads in Israel, through the Ramon Crater all the way until the Egyptian border.

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 1,354 m/4,442 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF.

The Challenge century ride has become a Wheels of Love tradition. It’s a long, spectacular route. This year’s century route is fast and flat and treats riders to spectaculat scenary. Riders will form pace-lines to tackle the long flat stretches along the Egyptian border. After the day’s ride finishes, buses will take the riders to Ber Sheva for the final evening awards ceremony.

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 375 m/1,230 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF

The final day of the 2020 ALYN Wheels of Love ride begins in the hills around Jerusalem and will end at the incredible finish line at ALYN Hospital. The toughest challenge of the day is the ascent of Nes Harim. This is a steep, winding road that Wheels of love has ridden almost every year. After a ten kilometer climb, riders will enjoy their last pit stop.

Hundreds of riders from all the road groups will gather together and ride the final segment to ALYN Hospital together. At ALYN, riders will be warmly embraced and presented with commemorative medallions by hundreds of children being treated at ALYN and their families.

Today’s Cumulative Climbing: 1,663 m/5,456 ft

Right-click here to download map as PDF.

Main Trail Group Daily Avg: 45 km (28 miles) — Technical Level: Moderate with some single tracks. Bikes can be walked around obstacles.

Strava Links: Sunday      Monday      Tuesday     Wednesday      Thursday  

Makhtesh Ramon is the largest of the four makhteshim in Israel (The three are Small Makhtesh, the Great Makhtesh, and Mount Arif). These crater-like formations are a phenomenon unique to Israel, created as a result of water erosion undercutting the rock. Because of its physical configuration, riding through Makhtesh Ramon (or above it) will enable you to observe interesting geological formations and spectacular views to the crater.

Today’s route takes us north of Mitzpe Ramon on a beautiful desert path which include some singles with moderate technical features. The first half of the day will be mostly downhill giving us time to stretch our legs. After lunch we will have some climbing to return to our Mitzpe Ramon home.

While today’s route will be in the same area as yesterday, it is a completely different path. The route is more challenging with more climbing and descending and a few more challenging technical segments.

We return for a final night in our Mitzpe Ramon hotel. After we finish riding tomorrow, we will take a bus to Be’er Sheva for the final ALYN Wheels of Love evening.

Today’s trail, about 40 km long, passes along the edge of the makhtesh, through wadi beds and along a section of an ancient Nabatean trade route, known as the ‘Spice Route’.  This trail that begins in far-off Oman and ends on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, near the Gaza Strip, was recognized in 2005 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We start riding along a comfortable, volunteer-built single track.

After about 3 km, the trail moves away from the edge of the makhtesh cliff and enters the bed of Wadi Hava. The section is known as Single Track Nahal Hava, which twists back and forth across the wadi banks. The bed of Wadi Hava expands and deepens, at which point the trail leaves the wadi and climbs back up along a single track to the jeep path that follows the edge of the makhtesh.

The continuation of the trail from here is a combination of single tracks and dirt roads, until the start of the ‘Noakh Ascent’, which we will be taking downhill. About 300 m down the slope, that path will turn to most enjoyable Single Track, all the down to the floor of the makhtesh.

On our final day of the 2020 Wheels of Love ride we start along the wooden trails around Sde Micha and Park Britannia. Our routes takes us on some of the nicest paths in the Judean Hills.

From Nativ Lamed Hey, we will follow the course of the Israel National Trail all the way through Park Begin. We emerge by the Kennedy Memorial and ride the final kilometer on road to the finish line.

This year’s Enduro will be mostly separate from the regular trail ride. There will be more climbing, longer routes, and more technical singles.

Sunday’s ride starts off with the regular Trail group. Along the way we will pick up more singles with more climbing and technical descents, adding around 10K to the day’s route.

Makhtesh Ramon is the largest of the four makhteshim in Israel (The three are Small Makhtesh, the Great Makhtesh, and Mount Arif). These crater-like formations are a phenomenon unique to Israel, created as a result of water erosion undercutting the rock. Because of its physical configuration, riding through Makhtesh Ramon (or above it) will enable you to observe interesting geological formations and spectacular views to the crater.

Today’s route takes us north of Mitzpe Ramon on a beautiful desert path. Most of today’s ride is the same as the main trail group but we add 9 kilometers of single track with some challenging technical segments. The first half of the day will be mostly downhill giving us time to stretch our legs. After lunch we will have some climbing to return to our Mitzpe Ramon home.

Today’s route will be the longest off-road route in the history of Wheels of Love! A full 75 kilometers of desert trails that includes challenging singles, tough climbs, and thrilling descents. 

We return for a final night in our Mitzpe Ramon hotel. After we finish riding tomorrow, we will take a bus to Be’er Sheva for the final ALYN Wheels of Love evening.

On our final day of the 2020 Wheels of Love ride we start along the wooden trails around Sde Micha and Park Britannia. We will get to enjoy some of the popular singles found in this area, some with challenging technical sections. (Not shown on map below.) 

From Nativ Lamed Hey, we will follow the course of the Israel National Trail all the way through Park Begin. We emerge by the Kennedy Memorial and ride the final kilometer on road to the finish line.

The Hiking Group walks for 6-8 hours along beautiful but moderately difficult trails in the same region where the riders will be. Hikers stay in the same hotels as all the road groups (Road, Road Plus, Challenge, Touring) enabling non-riding partners to participate in Wheels of Love.

Hikers need to bring comfortable hiking shoes, a small-medium backpack, and a hat. Rain gear, a flashlight, and trekking poles can also come in handy. We will provide food and water for hikers to carry.

The Hiking Group is part of Wheels of Love and should not be confused with ALYN’s winter “Heels of Love” desert trek.

On the first day of the Wheels of Love Hiking Route, we take a trek along one of the most popular walks in the Jerusalem region. We start on the summit of one of the highest hills that surround Jerusalem and descend along a trail that is at times heavily wooden and at other times open to the sun, displaying amazing views of the surrounding countryside.

The hike is named from the many caves that can be found along the lower sections of the trail. Some of them are quite large and home to thousands of sleeping bats. (During October, the bat caves are gated off to prevent people from disturbing the bats.)

Read this description from Hiking the Holyland

Kilometers: 8
Approximate time: 6 hours
Climbing 160 meters

On Monday, we move to the Negev Desert where we will be for the majority of Wheels of Love.

In the Negev it is not easy to find water that flows all year round, so the cold and fresh water of Ein Akev is a focus of life in the desert, and after climbing it is even more fun to bathe in its cold cold water.

The trail begins with a steep ascent that showcases impressive views on the entire region. After climbing, the trail flattens out and we walk along a rocky desert trail Along the way we will go by the waterfall Nahal Davshon. The bottom of this desert oasis is encircled by palm trees that present a stark contrast to the surrounding desert scenery. 

After about 4 km on the plateau, the trail descends to a water pool that holds cool water all year round. This is the Ekev Spring, which has been called “The most beautiful nature spot in Israel.” From the spring, the trail continues north through a blue-marked jeep trail in a stream, where you can sometimes see eagles nesting in the western streams. 

Kilometers: 12
Approximate time: 12 hours
Climbing: 350 meters

Read this description from Hiking the Holyland

On our third day of hiking, we will journey along one of the most beautiful sections of the Israel National Trail, an 800 kilometer series of trails that go from one end of Israel to the other. 

This trail has it all: A cold water desert pool, the ruins of an ancient fortress, rock climbing, and an amazing view of the Ramon Crater, the largest of Israel’s Craters — unique geological formations that are the result of thousands of years of subsurface erosion. Many refer to the Ramon Crater as Israel’s Grand Canyon and the absolute best way to experience it is on this trail.

Read this description from Hiking the Holyland

Kilometers: 12
Approximate time: 7 hours
Climbing 200 meters

Today’s hike follows a section of the ancient Nabatean Spice Road. The Spice Road followed the water sources through the Negev. This spring is one of the stations. It is named after the Saharon plant which grows abundantly in the Negev. This is the deepest point in the Ramon Crater containing the only natural, all-season water source in the region.

The Spice Road carried the hugely profitable trade in frankincense and myrrh from south Arabia to the Mediterranean, during the 3rd century BC until the 2nd century AD. Saharonim Spring is only 100 meters from the Saharonim Fortress.

It is obvious that the Fortress was built next to the only available water source in the area – the spring with the same name. The ruins of the ancient fortress are beautifully preserved in the dry desert air.

Kilometers: 11
Approximate time: 6 hours
Climbing 180 meters

Your ALYN Fundraising Tool Kit

We know that for many of you, the thought of asking friends for money to fundraise for the ride is uncomfortable and might be uncharted territory. Don’t worry – fundraising is much easier and more rewarding than you might expect, especially when you are raising money for such an incredible cause.

ALYN Hospital is such a unique and special place, that once you share with others about the hospital and the children receiving rehabilitation there, people will be willing to support you. How do we know? We have nearly 20 years of experience and thousands of riders who have successfully raised money for ALYN as proof.


WHERE TO START

Remember, the people who will sponsor you will do so because of your relationship with them. They are YOUR friends and YOUR family! They trust what you have to say. The more personal you can make the request, the better.

Start by personalizing your fundraising page.  You can login to your fundraising page and change the goal and the text. If you need help, just ask us. 

Once you have your page set up the way you like it, send the link with an email to your contacts. You can post it on Facebook or other social media. Again, the more personal you can make the request, the more likely you are lto receive a favorable response.

We have a sample letter you can use (Fundraising Tool #2). Make sure to tweak it and make it personal, so that the people you are asking know it is a genuine ask from you. Then follow these four steps:

  1. Aim high. Set an ambitious fundraising goal for yourself. There are many incentive gifts as our way of saying thank you for going the extra mile.  If you raise more than $5,000, you will earn free registration for next year’s ride! 
  2. Make a personal donation. Lead by example. To convince others to make a contribution, it helps to show that you are equally committed to the cause. 
  3. Ask friends and family. It’s easiest to start with those closest to you. Once you convey your excitement about your personal challenge and they learn about ALYN, they will be happy to support you. Suggest an amount with which they would be comfortable.
  4. Expand your asking circle. If you think beyond closest family and friends, there are endless possibilities: neighbors, work colleagues and business associates, acquaintances from school, college, synagogue/church, the health club and your biking club.

    If you work for a company with a matching gifts program, you may be able to multiply the effect of your gift. A basic rule of fundraising is that the main reason people give is because they have been asked by someone they know and trust. That someone is you!

Thank you letters. Make sure to send a short, personal thank you to each sponsor. Your sponsors will also receive an official thank you and receipt from ALYN, but they will appreciate the personal outreach and the sincere gratitude.

OTHER FUNDRAISING IDEAS:

Corporate sponsorships. Wheels of Love offers public relations opportunities in exchange for corporate sponsorships. There are a number of underwriting opportunities. Please contact the office with questions.

Fundraising events. Fundraising doesn’t only have to include sending emails and letters. A number of our riders have come up with creative ways to engage their friends, family members and community to help raise funds for their ride. Things that have been done in the past:

  • Spin class held at a local gym
  • Bowl-a-thon
  • Trampoline park outing
  • Team gear (hats, training jerseys) created with corporate sponsorships
  • Wine and cheese reception

If there is an event you would like to hold, the office would be happy to help in any way we can, including sending ALYN swag. We are here to support you in your fundraising. Please contact us at any time for ideas or to edit your fundraising page online.

If you use the letter below, make sure to personalize it with your name and the link to your fundraising page. 


Sample letter for first time riders

Subject: Support #MyALYNRide!

Dear

I’m very excited to share with you that this fall I will be participating in a virtual charity bike ride, #MyALYNRide, to benefit ALYN Hospital in Jerusalem, Israel’s premier rehabilitation facility for children with disabilities.

Every year, over 3,000 children come to ALYN to receive best-in-class care. Money raised through rides like mine is critical to ensuring that ALYN can continue to do amazing work – turning disabilities into abilities! The financial toll of the global pandemic means that we need your support now more than ever.

To honor the children being treated at ALYN, I will take on a personal challenge of [fill in your personal challenge – i.e. riding 200 miles between now and October 29, committing to riding on my indoor trainer three times a week for the next four weeks, spending a weekend with my teammates riding 50 miles a day in the Berkshires. Set a goal that is meaningful to you and that will help you raise funds and awareness about ALYN.]

Please support me in fulfilling this challenge. Your generosity will go a long way to help the children of ALYN who are working hard toward their rehabilitation.

There are two easy ways to donate to #MyALYNRide:

1. Donate online with a credit card at (INSERT YOUR FUNDRAISING LINK).

2. If you would like an American receipt, you can also send a check:

American Friends of ALYN Hospital
122 E. 42nd Street, Suite 1519, New York, NY 10168.

Thank you, in advance, for supporting me in my challenge and being as generous as you can be.

 

The American Friends of ALYN is a qualifying 501(c)(3) organization, and your contribution is tax deductible in the US. If you work for a company with a matching gifts program, you may be able to multiply the effect of your gift.

 

The work that ALYN does is inspiring. The more you can relate to your friends and family about the impact ALYN has on children, the more effective your fundraising will be. Here are three stories that demonstrate how important ALYN has been to so many families.


Roi: Coping with Cancer

Roi is 9 ½ years old from Jerusalem, the second of four children. He likes to play games like Legos, marbles, chess, checkers and to draw. He is an excellent student and particularly good at math.

Roi was diagnosed in January 2017 with brain cancer and came to ALYN Hospital after beginning his treatment. From the Channel 2 news broadcast: Roi started his treatment at ALYN Hospital as an inpatient in our Rehabilitation Department and is now a patient in the Day Hospitalization Department, coming for intensive therapeutic treatments four days a week. After the removal of the cancerous growth from the back of his head, he experienced serious developmental decline and didn’t talk or move for a long time.

Roi now is still too weak to walk alone or without the assistance of a walker, and uses a wheelchair for longer distances. At ALYN Hospital, Roi benefits from hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and emotional support therapies such as music & art therapy.

Since Roi has been missing regular school for many months, he also learns in our Learning Center so that he can keep up with his studies. “Hebrew and math are important to me” he says in the interview. His mother Gina says, “It wasn’t obvious that he would have his . . . anything. We had no idea what he would gain back, what he wouldn’t gain back. He loves math, so for me that’s amazing.” Later in the interview she says, “Every stage that he reaches, it’s simply a miracle.”

At the end of the interview, Roi says about his treatment at ALYN Hospital, “It helps me be myself and it helps me return to who I was before the surgery. A regular kid.”

 
Adina: Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injury

Please help me help the kids at ALYN walk, talk, and go home to their families. I know what it’s like to be one of those kids. Because their story is my story”

Adina Elbaz was 16 years old when she was involved in a horrific accident. She was crossing the street on her way to school when a minibus hit her. She suffered a severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and multiple injuries and traumas.

After her life was stabilized at another hospital, she was brought to ALYN for rehabilitation. She was unable to walk, talk, or do any activities independently. In the beginning of her treatment, she lived at ALYN 24 hours/day, 7 days a week.

Her mother was with her every morning, her father every evening, and family friends around the clock so that she was never alone. ALYN provided her with hydrotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, psychological treatment, and a range of other therapies. A team of around ten doctors, therapists, and specialists worked with her every day.

Gradually she was able to go home for a few days every week. Then after 7 months, she was able to go home and continued treatment as an ALYN outpatient. Under the care of ALYN, her progress was dramatic and exceeded all expectations. Seven years ago, she rode a tricycle at the finish line of Wheels of Love to welcome the hundreds of riders who had ridden all week in support of ALYN.

Six years ago, she rode a portion of one day of the ride as a member of the “Swift and the Bold” a team of riders made up of kids who have received treatment at ALYN. The next year, she rode a full day on a tandem bike with veteran ALYN rider Rocky Brody. Every year, she has ridden more. For the past few years, she has been training on her own mountain bike, riding more and more on her own -something that would have been unthinkable just a short time ago.

Yusef's miraculous journey to rehabilitation

This article is a summary translation to English by ALYN Hospital staff of extracts of the original article, which was written by Dana Ben Shimon. Photo credit: Yoav Dodkevich.  

“It was a rainy and stormy evening, Yusef fell down an elevator shaft in the dark, like in a movie,” recalls his father, Kazem. “A neighbor said that there was a child from the Jardat family who fell in a lift,” says the father. “I went down quickly and realised that it was Yusef.

The doctors told me that they couldn’t believe that he was alive after what happened.” Yusef was taken by ambulance to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, with a large fracture that split his face in two. At Hadassah, they performed the unbelievable – they were able to put his skull back together during a complicated operation. He was later transferred to ALYN Hospital for rehabilitation, with his family accompanying him throughout the process.

“When Yusef came to ALYN Hospital, he was not able to get up,” says his father. “Twice a day he underwent physiotherapy. He also received emotional care and a lot of encouragement from the staff. 

Yusef underwent rehabilitation treatment, during which he got back on his feet and began walking again. “We had to teach him how to walk again because he had a very complicated leg fracture. He also had difficulty speaking because of the fracture in his jaw and we helped him with that as well, in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and he was helped to eat independently”, explains Yusef’s accompanying physician in the rehabilitation department of ALYN Hospital. “His head injury was significant, but he was lucky that there was no brain damage. He also had fractures in his skull, and it’s very rare for someone who has experienced such an event to recover relatively quickly.

Recently, as the rehabilitation process progressed and his condition improved, Yusef began to go to the school that was established inside ALYN Hospital and learned Hebrew and English there. 

Of course we’re happy,” says the father. “In recent months I have barely left Yusef’s side, I have been with him all along, and his situation has improved slowly, but now he will be able to return to his family. Lately, he was able to come home on weekends, but now he will finally be able to sleep at home every day. This is the biggest relief.”

Aviel's Victory Run

This article has been summarized and translated to English by ALYN Hospital staff. The original article, written by Lior El Hai, appeared in Yediot Ahronoth on 13 March 2019. Photo credit: Alex Kolomoisky.

Tomorrow, three years after Aviel Avrahamoff’s leg was nearly amputated due to an accident, he will participate in the Jerusalem 5-K Run. The accident happened in Haifa during a fun day which he spent with his family when he was six years old. A driver who accidentally accelerated instead of braking, slid into a field near the road where Aviel was walking with his family and hit him.

Aviel was seriously injured. He was transferred to Rambam Medical Center and was rushed into the operating room. “The doctor told me that the situation was complicated, and it could be possible that in the middle of the operation he would ask me to sign an agreement to amputate Aviel’s entire leg. It was shocking to me that Aviel could return home with only one leg,” recalls Aviel’s mother, Vered.

Fortunately, the operation was successful. From that point on, Aviel began a long and difficult rehabilitation process at ALYN Hospital, in his home town of Jerusalem, which is a facility designed for rehabilitation especially for children and youth.

In the beginning, Aviel couldn’t even stand on the injured leg and found it difficult to move it. Thanks to the intensive and devoted care of the team, slowly but surely he made progress. He was eventually able to stand on both legs and even joined the running group of hospitalized children.

Nurit Stern, a senior physiotherapist at ALYN Hospital, said: “We are not satisfied with the fact that the children will only learn to walk again, therefore we are instilling in them the value of sport, training and overcoming difficulties.” At the end of the rehabilitation period, Aviel returned home, but continued to train with the running team.

Update: Aviel completed the Jerusalem 5-K last year!

#MyALYNRide Swag

We are so appreciative of what you are doing, that we want to send you special gifts as a small token of the gratitude of ALYN. As you earn these gifts, we will send them to you so you can show the world that you are riding in #MyALYNRide!

#MyALYNRide Swag

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0% raised of $2,000,000