Meet the 2010 Race Across America riders
Sunday, February 28, 2010

Renato Shaffer

As a father and a husband, my worst nightmare is the thought of watching a loved one suffer.

Sadly, this is in my future. Sharon, my wife of 24 years, was recently diagnosed with Huntington’s disease and is in the early stages of the condition.

Any child with a parent affected by the disease has a 50/50 chance of inheriting the gene, which puts our two daughters at risk.

In a desperate effort to raise awareness for the disease and money for much needed research, I formed Team 2 Cure HD in 2006. The team participated in the 2006 and 2007 Race Across America (RAAM), a 3,047 mile coast to coast race beginning at the Oceanside Pier in California and finishing at the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Team 2 Cure HD completed the colossal race in 8 days.

What a priceless experience!!

With the help of our supporters, we were able to raise money for research and inform so many people about HD during our journey.

Given Team 2 Cure HD’s huge success in previous years, we have once again committed to participate in the 2010 RAAM.

This year, the team has set even bigger goals and once again. But these goals will be impossible without your help. Our goal is to complete the race in less than 7 days and raise the bar and elicit even more research money.

We would like to continue our pledge to educate people so that it makes day-to-day living easier for families just like mine.

Please help us all make this the last generation with Huntington’s disease!

John Sylvester

I migrated to the U.S. at age 15 from Trinidad, West Indies, went to high school in Boston and graduated from Marion Umana Tech at the age of 18. I then enlisted into the U.S. Navy where I met my beautiful wife of 25 years, Brenda, during one of my tours of duty in San Diego. My children are 23 and 26. I also have a four-year-old granddaughter.

 

To date, I competed the RAAM in 2006 and 2007 as a team of four and completed both in 8 days.

I got drafted into becoming a member of Team 2 Cure HD by the smooth-talking Renato two days after I met him. He was so upbeat and positive about the entire experience that I just said “yes” on the spot.

All of my family and my friends, including our RAAM team manager, Butch Martin, thought that I was insane.

My mother even tried to explain the aging process to me, telling me that all the bike riding in the world would not make me any younger as she was convinced that I was only doing this to try and defeat my biological clock.

But after a few weeks of working on them, they were finally convinced. Upon seeing me complete the RAAM, these same individuals were very proud of my accomplishments.

This event was a great challenge. It was also a great privilege for me to participate in RAAM to help my friends and the many other families suffering from HD.

After going through everything that RAAM had to offer and coming out intact both mentally and physically, I have decided to do it again for the third year, but that can only be accomplished with your support both emotionally and financially. So please extend a helping hand to Team 2Cure HD. In doing so you will be helping all the families that are affected by this dreadful disease.

Jason Tate

I grew up in both Tucson, Arizona, and Colombia Falls, Montana, forging a love for the outdoors that is still with me today.

With travel, backpacking, climbing, running and school, cycling came a little later in my life. Beginning with evening fun rides, developing into full family commuting and now attacking on the hills in my TIME Machine, I am a full-time rider, riding every day and feeling lucky to do so.

I am always on the lookout for an adventure, and Renato showed up with one and asked me to join the Team 2 Cure HD in the 2007 RAAM.

Renato was surprised when I immediately jumped aboard, but it was natural for me to do so. It is in my nature to push forward and test myself, and now I am proud to do so for such a grand cause. I successfully completed the 2007 RAAM and am again on board for 2010.

So wish me luck and accept my gratitude for your support.

Jonathan Copsey

I was born in Monterey, California, to an awesome family. I am the youngest rider of the team and am pretty excited that I get to go on this amazing journey with the Team 2 Cure HD.

I am in the United States Marine Corps and am with the Wounded Warrior Battalion. I was injured in July 2008 and have a traumatic brain injury. From that, I also have short term memory loss and vestibular problems.

I have been cycling for some time now, and am also a runner that runs ultra marathons. I heard about this team from a friend of mine that was going to be on the team instead of me, but he got orders to go to Haiti.

He then told John Sylvester about me, and that I would be interested in doing the RAAM. 

I cannot wait for what this race holds in store for me and I am very excited for both easy and hard times. 

Donations and sponsorship for this amazing feat are available today. For assistance please contact Stephanie Alband at 619.225.2255 or by clicking here.

You can also pledge by visiting the Team 2 Cure HD webpage.

Click here to read more about RAAM.