Steps Together hopes to attract support for 11 medically stretched households
By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
Steps Together is off and running — literally — on this year’s charity mission to help 11 medically needy families cope with expenses.
The community group is the brainchild of Courtney and Michael Newman of Hillsborough, recreational marathoners who parlay their running experience to raise money to help families with medical challenges that stretch them financially, emotionally and physically.
Steps Together’s season kickoff on June 26 filled the room at Pheasant’s Landing, with more than 100 people attending.
Steps Together uses social media, fitness and nutritional advice, and group training runs to prepare its "team" to compete in the Steeplechase Medical Center’s foot races Sept. 28 at Amsterdam School in Hillsborough.
Last year, more than 400 blue T-shirt-clad Steps Together runners and walkers helped swell the Steeplechase field. Ms. Newman said 44 walkers have joined the team this year, with the bulk of people expected to sign up in August or later.
Weekend training runs begin Aug. xx. Steeplechase has added a two-mile walk to the five- and 10-kilometer runs, so that could encourage people to participate short of giving a physical maximum, Ms. Newman said.
The group’s motto is "train, run, share." Weekly emails give suggested workouts and nutritional and running tips and goals.
Last year’s efforts raised $36,000, a goal the Newmans expect to top in 2014. The fee to register with Steps Together is just $50, which includes registration in the Sept. 28 run. Steps Together encourages, but doesn’t demand, people to raise more money and helps by giving people moral support and tips how to ask friends and family for donations.
The group shows how to use Facebook, create fund-raising pages on the Internet, email and other social media to reach out to others. This year Steps Together has built an incentive program to reward varying levels of beneficence. The highest individual fundraiser gets a December visit from Mr. Newman dressed as an Elf.
Eleven families will be the recipients of the money that is raised. All have photos and summaries on the Steps Together website at www.steps-together.org. Five are returning from last year, but six are new causes, said Ms. Newman.
One is Alexander Monto, a Manville boy .
Another is Melissa Reina, who graduated with Ms. Newman in 1996 from Hillsborough High School. She has been diagnosed with ocular melanoma 18 months ago. The extremely rare cancer only affects 2,500 people in the U.S. per year. She had her eye removed last October in effort to stop the cancer from spreading. Unfortunately, she was recently diagnosed with metastatic disease, for which there is no known cure. She now begins the fight for her life.
Another benefiting group is called Brave Billy’s Heroes, formed to support Billy Biviano, a Millstone youngster who’ll be three in September. This week his first MRI since ending treatment three months ago showed no growth in the brain tumor, but no diminution either.
"He is just too young to accept any more chemotherapy," she said. "Thankfully the tumor did not grow during that time but it’s bittersweet because he still has a brain tumor."
Beyond the money, Steps Together has goals of emotional support and education.
Representatives of nine of this year’s 11 recipients attended the kickoff.
Steps Together benefited from a fashion show and cocktail reception called "Renaissance Runs The Runway" on May 1 at the Bridgewater Manor. It was hosted by Renaissance Hair Salon, which is owned by Board of Trustees member Jen Korab, and 100 percent of the proceeds went to benefit Steps Together.
"Awareness is a huge part of our effort," said Ms. Newman. "It is as much of our focus as dollars raised, from the aspect of spreading prayer chains and general awareness about the conditions that have impacted these families."
For example, Jackson Silva of Garwood was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy in May at the age of 3 months. SMA is the number-one genetic killer of children under the age of 2 with a survival rate of less than 15 percent.
SMA destroys the nerves controlling voluntary muscle movement, which affects crawling, walking, head and neck control, and even swallowing. Jackson has the most severe form of the four types of SMA.
"Outwardly little Jackson looks perfect, and in family’s eyes he is," xx said. "However, he is unable to move his little arms and legs. He has difficulty in holding his head up. He cannot reach out to touch the face of his loving parents. . . . His family believes in miracles and are hopeful for a divine intervention. The mission of Team Jackson is to raise awareness about the needs of Jackson but also bring awareness SMA in hopes of finding a cure."

