Fun run in Florida for a very worthy cause

A self-confessed Jewish “couch potato” is going on the run after being inspired by a charity which made a wish come true for a Jewish boy with a life-threatening disease.

Disney fan Jamie Silver, from Essex, is a regular visitor to Orlando, Florida, and discovered the Give Kids The World Village there earlier this year.

Jamie, 27, visited the Village’s dazzling lights spectacular, a fundraiser called Night of a Million Lights, and was so moved by the work they do that he knew he had to do something to help.

He is now registered for the Disney 10K run in the first week of January 2024.

Give Kids The World gives families a respite from their suffering, and Jamie met the Meles family, an observant Jewish family from New Jersey, whose six-year-old son Rafi experienced a week he will never forget.

Rafi has battled a rare and life-threatening genetic disease where the only known cure is a bone marrow transplant, involving many weeks in hospital, followed by a year of isolation at home. Thankfully, he has responded well to treatment.

Give Kids The World Village was established by Holocaust survivor Henri Landwirth, a former hotel owner. Jamie works for Hilton Hotels in London and was inspired by his visit.

He explained: “The Village is a storybook setting which looks like Willy Wonka meets Hans Christian Andersen, and the charity does incredible things for children who are often terminally ill.

“I needed an excuse to get off my backside, lose some weight and do something worthwhile, and this is perfect for me as it combines all my passions, and I will be raising money for an amazing cause.”

You can support Jamie by donating here:  https://give.gktw.org/fundraiser/4612225