About Us

…’Our township salutes you and we offer our hearts, minds and hands to assist in all your noble endeavors…’ -Kate Murray Town of Hempstead Supervisor

The Richard M. Brodsky Foundation was established by me, Richard Brodsky, in 2005. I was diagnosed  HIV-positive back in 1997 and having to tell Jodi, my loving wife, that I was HIV-positive was the hardest thing I had to do in my life. A year later I ran my fastest marathon, a 03:23 at age 46, and I began to realize that if the AIDS medicine was easily accessible to AIDS sufferers all over the world, millions of lives could be saved. It was unacceptable to me that 2,000,000 +/- people were dying from AIDS every year; how could I help reduce the number of deaths from AIDS? I did write a book titled, Jodi, The Greatest Love Story Ever Told. The book was a gift to my wife for keeping our family loving and whole. It was also a plea to get AIDS medicine to AIDS sufferers all over the world. By going public with our story, my wife, also a marathon runner, and I hoped other HIV-positive people would come forward and share their stories how they were living productive lives.

It seemed as if ‘The Man’ upstairs was not about to claim me so fast. While at my own book signing at a Barnes & Noble bookstore in Greenwich Village, two days before the 2002 New York Marathon, I had a seizure. Three weeks later I had a malignant brain tumor removed and my doctors told me I could expect to live only 2-4 years more. A year and a day later, I completed the New York Marathon flanked by my very supportive Brain Oncologist, Dr. Casilda Balmaceda. She suggested I start a Foundation to help people living with HIV and cancer so here I am now… ready and eager to help people less fortunate than me. Please can I count on you for a Money Donation (no donations accepted for March 21st Event) or a Product Donation?

The Foundation has been involved with six World AIDS Marathons and my wife and I are planning to return to Kisumu, Kenya to participate in the 2010 World AIDS Marathon; an Event the Foundation co-sponsors with the Kisumu World AIDS Marathon Group. For more information about the World AIDS Marathon and the Foundation you can visit the websites http://www.worldaidsmarathon.com and http://www.richardmbrodsky.org.

Over the past few years, gnawing at me was a question that I had been asked by so many, ‘What are you doing for AIDS sufferers and cancer survivors in America?’ The Foundation did give away a few thousand dollars to AIDS and cancer projects in America, but the bulk of my time and energy, and money that the Foundation raised went to very worthwhile AIDS projects in Africa. Honestly, it is not easy raising money as most people prefer giving to larger charities. But that will never get my spirit down as I know there is no other President of a Foundation who is HIV-positive and has brain cancer who raises money by running marathons. Success can also be measured by the AIDS Awareness the five World AIDS Marathons have brought about. 1,400+/- people were tested for HIV, 1,900+ orphans were served dinner at orphan dinner dances, 1,000+ children walked in Childrens Walks and were served a light meal, a free concert was sponsored, 50 Kenyans were invited to compete in the marathon and the Foundation covered the costs for lodging, meals and transportation. We did get beat a little bit in the ’04 marathon, but we now have a team of pros, four Kenyan board members of the Foundation, organizing the event in Kenya.

For 2009, the Richard M. Brodsky Foundation sponsored its second annual 5K AIDS / Cancer Run / Walk in America. It was not just another race. There was free AIDS testing and counseling provided by Long Island Minority AIDS Coalition. We also collected $12,000 in toiletry / gift items such as shampoo, laundry detergent, dish soap, deodorant, cologne, perfume, tissues, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, band-aids, coffee cups, sunscreen, lipstick, and any free samples that folks and corporations would donate to people living with HIV and cancer. More specifically the toiletry / gift items were distributed to clients of Long Island Minority AIDS Coalition, Center of AIDS Research & Treatment at North Shoe University Hospital, and the Don Monti Cancer Center. The Richard M. Brodsky Foundation also donated $2,000 in toys to children living with pediatric cancer unit at Steven and Alexander Childrens Medical Center of New York, formerly known as Schneider Childrens Hospital. The Foundation is also seeking to establish a running club for people living with HIV and / or cancer. No one knows the positive benefits derived from running more than me. Those people living with HIV and / or cancer could only join the running club if they join with a healthy person so no one knows who is sick and who is healthy.

For 2010, 254 runners / walkers completed the course. We increased our toy donation to Steven and Alexandra Cohen Childrens Medical Center of New York to $2,500 in toys and we expect to surpass our annual $12,000 in toiletry / gift items to people living with HIV and cancer which will occur the week beginning with the Foundation’s 2nd annual October 24, 2010, FREE 5K Run / Walk for HIVers, Cancer Survivors & Friends in Oceanside Park. 

Pictured above, May 31, 2009, (left to right) Kate Murray, Town of Hempstead Supervisor presenting trophies to first place female finisher, Una Broderick and first place male finisher, Franklin Diaz; and Richard and Jodi Brodsky.

Pictured below is a Citation from Supervisor Kate Murray followed by a Citation from Nassau County Chief Executive Tom Suozzi acknowledging the 5k AIDS / Cancer Run / Walk and the work the Richard M. Brodsky Foundation is doing to improve the lives of people living with HIV and cancer.

I would especially like to extend my heartfelt thanks to three very much respected local politicians: Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray, and Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy for their enthusiastic support of my work.

Nassau County Executive, Thomas R. Souzzi, and Richard Brodsky at the August 2nd, 2007 ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new two-mile Fitness trail at Eisenhower Park. The new trail is part of Tom Suozzi’s vision to make Nassau County the healthiest county in America by the year 2020.

If you cannot read the letter, click here.

If you cannot read the letter, click here.

If you cannot read the letter, click here.

My greatest wish continues to be for the youth of America to forego that spring break where partying, drinking, taking drugs and some unsafe sex surely occurs. How great America’s star would shine if the college crowd could be inspired to serve their country by helping impoverished groups in both America and Africa. I pray that the future leaders of our country will be able to inspire all Americans to be our brothers’ keepers.