News & Stories
Cycling for a Cause: A Grateful Family’s Tribute to Cooper
Gratitude can take many forms. For Barbara Kornbluh, it became a way to channel her family’s love of cycling into something deeply meaningful.
For Barbara and her husband, Mel Kornbluh, cycling has been more than a hobby—it’s been a shared journey spanning over four decades and nearly 200,000 miles together on a tandem bike. As founders of Tandems East in Pittsgrove, New Jersey, they built not just a business but a thriving community of tandem cycling enthusiasts.
When Mel was diagnosed with both tonsil and prostate cancer, the expert, compassionate care he received at Cooper’s Camden and Voorhees campuses made a lasting impression. From their first appointment, the Kornbluhs felt the full support of Cooper’s dedicated care teams. Motivated to give back, they merged their passion for cycling with their appreciation for Cooper. The family designed a custom “Radioactive Man” cycling jersey—symbolizing Mel’s cancer journey—and offered it to fellow cyclists as a fundraiser. The initiative raised $2,500 to support cancer care at Cooper, reflecting the strength and generosity of the cycling community they’ve long nurtured.
The Kornbluhs’ story is a powerful reminder of how personal passion, when paired with gratitude, can drive meaningful change and bring healing full circle.