Cross-country for a cause

Rochester, New York – In an effort to raise awareness for rare diseases in children, on Friday, Jorg Richter – an ambassador for Care-for-Rare America – made a stop at Golisano Children’s Hospital Friday as part of his cross-country trip across the U.S.

Richter’s adventure started in March and will end in September.

According to Richter, he dreamt about cycling across the nation since he was a child, but he was motivated to do this particular trip after a family friend of his passed away from a disease years ago.

“The message I learned from the kids — enjoy every day as it is because you’re not sure about tomorrow,” Richter said. “The kids know about when I show up that’s a special event for them and they enjoy that moment. They’re not worrying about tomorrow.”

He would normally gift the children he visits with teddy bears but, due to COVID-19, he is greeting children from a distance, Richter said.

According to its website, the Care-for-Rare Foundation is an organization whose mission is to establish a global alliance to identify the causes of rare, pediatric diseases and develop effective treatments for them.