SOUTH BRUNSWICK: Husband preserves wife’s legacy with fundraiser

by Davy James, Staff Writer
   Following the death of his wife, Amy, from breast cancer at the age of 49 in 2007, Kendall Park resident Arie Behar knew he wanted to do something to honor her memory and to help other women fight the disease.
   He established The Amy Foundation that same year with the mission of helping women over the age of 40 who are without health insurance obtain free mammograms.
   ”Amy was extremely concerned about women’s issues,” Mr. Behar said. “She cared very much about those who couldn’t afford health insurance and she always said how lucky we were to have insurance. So the idea of combining her interest in women’s issues and helping fight the disease she didn’t survive is something she would appreciate.”
   The Amy Foundation has pledged $52,000 this year to St. Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick to help bridge the gap left by cuts in government funding for charity care patients. The support covers the cost of 457 mammograms through the end of the year. To help raise money toward that goal, the foundation will be holding the annual Bike Ride for Amy on May 4.
   ”We held the first bike ride in July 2008 and it was a small ride with only 28 people,” Mr. Behar said. “It was testing the waters, so to speak, knowing we’d do something bigger this year.”
   Last year’s ride raised about $4,000 with help from corporate sponsors and individual donations. Mr. Behar said he hopes to equal the amount the ride raised last year. He said the purpose of the ride is to not only raise funds, but also awareness.
   ”We want to encourage women to have the idea of early detection,” Mr. Behar said. “We hope to have St. Peter’s bring a mobile van to the ride and have nurses teach women to do self-examinations, but they haven’t committed yet. The cost of removal for a lump at the early stage is minimal, but the cost of treating the disease once it spreads is huge.”
   Mr. Behar said the cost of fighting the disease goes beyond dollar figures. He said it also takes a tremendous emotional toll on the families.
   ”You might not care about breast cancer today but tomorrow someone you know or care for may be affected,” he said. “I want to prevent a family from going through what I went through.”
   Mr. Behar said the disease can strike at any time, so he hopes people will recognize the warning signs and help women who are less fortunate get the early screening they need.
   ”Breast cancer is not a discriminatory disease,” he said. “It could happen to anyone and you never know when someone in your own family could get afflicted. Our government doesn’t emphasize early detection but it’s something we should all be aware of.”
   The Bike Ride for Amy is scheduled for May 4 at 8 a.m. and will begin and end at the South Brunswick Community Center on New Road. The event will feature 25-mile and 50-mile rides. The shorter route is designed for riders who enjoy a leisurely ride while the longer route is a combination of flat, rolling and hilly terrain.
   The registration fee is $150, the cost of one mammogram, and must be received by April 27. All riders will receive a water bottle, Bike Ride for Amy T-shirt and a biker’s vest for the ride. For more information or to register, visit www.amyfoundation.org.