After battling cancer, author runs for a cure

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Andrew Kranichfeld has had a rough decade so far, but he’s found a way to make the best out of his losses.

In 2010, he lost his mother to leukemia. Shortly after, a misdiagnosis of a brain tumor led Kranichfeld himself to go blind. In the midst of his own health issues and a near-death experience, Kranichfeld’s father passed away from mesothelioma last year.

After the December holiday season, Kranichfeld decided it was time to give back, specifically to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, because of the help they provided for him and his family over the past several years.

So he started “5 Miles to Fight Mesothelioma,” a fundraiser that has collected more than $6,500 for mesothelioma research. He even formed a volunteer team to run a five-mile race at the Rye Derby, an event held each year in the Westchester County city where Kranichfeld grew up.

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that causes chest pain and difficulty breathing. The disease is primarily caused by inhaling asbestos.

"It’s nice to see that people genuinely care,” he said. “Any amount of money makes a difference.”

Kranichfeld’s motivation to spearhead a fundraising project comes from the values his parents taught him.

“My mom was just extremely positive in every way you could imagine,” he said. “It’s hard to describe her, especially today. I feel like today’s society, there’s a lot of greed and there’s a lot of ‘me first’ mentality, and she was the exact opposite of that. She would give us anything, even if it made her have nothing. She would give it to us to help us.”

These life lessons led him to the April 30 race. For weeks, he trained with fellow Manhattan College alum Kristen Tracy as well as Riverdale residents Zach Ikanda and Erika Torres early mornings and afternoons at Van Cortlandt Park.

Learning how to run after going blind was easier than Kranichfeld imagined, especially after years of not being physically active. All he had to do was listen to the person guiding him, hold on to a tether attached to her and run.

“It was such an amazing feeling because when you’re blind, you’re constantly very careful using your cane,” Kranichfeld said. “There’s something liberating about that because you don’t have to worry about it.”

Kranichfeld credits his newfound love for running to his Riverdale and Kingsbridge friends, and invites other residents to come run with him at the park.

Although the race is over, Kranichfeld isn’t done spreading generosity and knowledge to others. He’s working on his third children’s book, “Henry’s Hobbies,” that he hopes to publish by the end of the year.

The book is inspired by his father’s interests in the environment and gardening, as well as some of his more unique hobbies like beekeeping and breadmaking.

The book, Kranichfeld said, is aimed at second- and third-graders, and hopes it motivates readers and parents to unplug from the digital world and explore the outdoors once in a while.

His previous books — “Karen’s Garden” and “Oliver Saves the Nature Center” — were inspired by his mother and one of his brothers.

If Kranichfeld could offer one piece of advice to someone experiencing some of the life challenges he’s had to overcome within the last few years, it’s to be productive and keep living.

“Try to pick up some hobbies,” he said. Keep “busy, positive and (make) sure a good network of people (are) around you.”

For more information on “5 Miles For Mesothelioma” and to donate, visit tinyurl.com/5MilesForMeso.

Andrew Kranichfeld, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Rye Derby, 5 Miles to Fight Mesothelioma, Rye, Westchester County, mesothelioma, Manhattan College, Kristen Tracy, Zach Ikanda, Erika Torres, Van Cortlandt Park, Tiffany Moustakas

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