Cyclists preparing for 13th Alyn Hospital bikeathon

More than 700 bikers set to take part in 'Wheels of Love,' which aims to raise NIS 7m. for pediatric rehab hospital.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Bicycle riders 311 (R) (photo credit: Baz Ratner/Reuters)
Bicycle riders 311 (R)
(photo credit: Baz Ratner/Reuters)
Almost NIS 5 million have already been collected from sponsors of Alyn Hospital’s Wheels of Love biking trip, which will be held between November 11 and 15. The 13th annual event will begin in Arad, and finish in Jerusalem at the rehabilitation hospital for physically disabled youngsters, where the bikers will be warmly greeted by the children.
Alyn hopes to raise a total of NIS 7m. to benefit the hospital and its activities, and fill the gap between its income and the high, growing costs of individual care. Every year, the gap in the department for respiratory rehabilitation is $50,000 per child, while the per-child figure in the regular rehabilitation department is $30,000.
The only pediatric rehabilitation hospital of its kind in Israel, Alyn has a sterling reputation in treating disabilities in motor, sensory, respiratory, communication, cognitive and behavioral issues. Alyn’s goal is to return the children to their families and the community as soon as possible. The children are victims of congenital disease, road and home accidents and terror attacks.
This year, there will be five bicycle routes – a very challenging one, a regular road, a “tourist route,” a “regular rough” route and one on unpaved areas with tents set up specially for participants to sleep in.
Some 700 riders from more than 10 countries are expected to take part in the event.
Among the countries are Brazil, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, Holland, England, France, the US and Canada.
Many companies have sent delegations to ride on their behalf for the last day of the event, or all five days. For more information, see the website at www.alynride.org.