thankful this year for the work of St. Jude and that we have such an amazing resource here in Memphis. In the words of my cousin Karah as she experienced taking her child to St. Jude to see whether he had cancer, ‘The feeling that comes over you as you walk through those doors is a feeling like no other. Being there and seeing the services and care provided and knowing not a single parent gets a bill completely amazes me.’ several times as St. Jude Heroes in the St. Jude Memphis Marathon as part of Team MBA. Please join us. This year, YLD member and Team MBA participant McKenzie Podesta shares why she is running the St. Jude Memphis Marathon. “I’ve run many races throughout my life. I enjoy the camaraderie of being surrounded by other runners, all working towards the same goal of finishing the race. But I have always avoided the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend. I thought the crowds, the parking, and the hassle of it all would just be too much. When I heard Team MBA was looking for young lawyers who run and would be interested in promoting the race, I decided to sign up. I thought, “St. Jude probably needs my money and support now more than ever, so why not?” A couple months after signing up, I received news solidifying that recent commitment. My cousin Karah was having to take her newborn baby, McCade, to St. Jude to run tests on a suspicious ‘spot.’ While I had been happy to support St. Jude so that they could help other families and other children, I was shocked, anxious, and saddened that this was hitting so close to home. While Baby McCade received great news from the doctors at St. Jude, he will still have to go back for regular check-ins. My family and I are extra
I challenge everyone reading this article to take action – sign up to run with us, buy some swag or make a donation. Every dollar counts, and you never know when you or your loved ones will need St. Jude. Although this wasn’t what I was thinking when I signed up to run, I’m running for David Hunt, for Baby McCade, and for all the staff, nurses and doctors who care for patients like them and their families.” This year, we are proudly sponsored by Titan
Orthopedics and Dr. John Lochemes, the official orthopedist of Team MBA. The St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend has always been the single largest one-day fundraising event for St. Jude. If the trend continues, St. Jude will not make its pre-COVID 2020 fundraising goal of $12.5 million. So, this year it is important that the Memphis Bar Association and Team MBA have its best year ever. You can support this effort in several ways: 1. You can still register to run at any of the distances as a member of Team MBA by registering here. 2. You can recruit others to register for the event as a member of Team MBA. 3. You can buy Team MBA swag and a portion of the proceeds will be returned to the Team for St. Jude. 4. You can make a donation to St Jude through the Team.
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