Meet the Team2cure Huntington's Disease 2008
2008 Race across the West RACERS
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 20 years, was recently diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease and is in the early stages of the disease. 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 2Cure HD in 2006. The team participated in the 2006 and 2007 Race Across America, a 3,047 mile coast to coast race beginning at the Oceanside Pier in
Given Team 2Cure HD’s huge success in previous years, we have once again committed to participate in the 2008 Race Across America. With the help of our supporters, we were able to raise money for research and inform so many people about HD during our journey. This year, the team has set even bigger goals and once again, these goals will be impossible without your help. Our team’s 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. I am pleading; please help us all make this the last generation with Huntington’s Disease.
John C 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 2Cure 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 friends, including our RAAM team manager, Butch Martin, and my family, 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 and in doing so you will be helping all the families that are affected by this dreadful disease.
Renato Shaffer
Jason TateJason Tate grew up in both Tucson Arizona and Colombia Falls Montana for the outdoors that is with him today. With travel, backpacking, climbing, running and school, cycling came a little later in his life. Beginning with evening fun rides, developing into full family commuting and now attacking on the hills in his TIME Machine, Jason is a full time rider, riding every day and feeling lucky to do so. Jason is always on the lookout for an adventure, and Renato showed up with one and asked him to join the Team 2 Cure HD in the 2007 RAAM. Renato was surprised when Jason immediately jumped aboard, but it was natural for him to do so. It is in his nature to push forward and test himself, and now he is proud to do so for such a grand cause. Jason successfully completed the 2007 RAAM and is again on board for 2008. So wish him luck and take his gratitude for your support. 
John C Sylvester
Joe Beeson
My name is Joseph Beeson, born in