Team MBA Runs for St. Jude

By EARLE SCHWARTZ

Cancer does not take a break and kindness is not cancelled. So, the Memphis Bar Association’s Team MBA continues to train and fundraise to participate in this year’s St. Jude Memphis Marathon Virtual Event. December 2020 marks the 5th anniversary for Team MBA. Over the past 4 years, we have had over 100 folks run with us and raised more than $25,000 for St. Jude. We have run in support of St. Jude patients like Julia (now deceased) and Charlie.

This year, however, is different. There will not be 25,000 people jamming the streets of downtown Memphis and running through the St. Jude Campus to the high fives of patients and their caregivers.

This year, we will run in isolation, on our own selfdesigned course, at our own pace, on our own day;

fueled by our own motivation. The virtual event will offer a different experience, but it will be just as valuable.

son of Sean and Clarice Hunt. Please read Sean’s story of his son’s battle against sickle cell disease with the help of St. Jude.

“Technically speaking, David has been going to

St. Jude ever since before he was born 18 years ago. We found out that he was going to be born with sickle cell disease when he was still in vitro. When he was first born, we had to give David daily doses of penicillin.

We did this every day until he was 5 years old. St.

Jude has provided us with education on his disease, and has been a source of information when we need it. For example, if David gets sick and has a fever, we do not call the pediatrician first, we call St. Jude.

David was born with a little bit more moxie than your normal child. I believe that is because of the sickle cell disease and what we would ultimately find out was the biggest drawback—the pain. Because of the unusual shape of the blood cells, they tend to get stuck sometimes in the smaller veins and capillaries and cause excruciating pain at any time and in any place in the body. Often as David was growing up, we found ourselves feeling helpless as we watched our child cry and cry due to the intractable pain and later as a teenager, still seeing him in tears, and there was nothing we could do as parents.

This year, we are running in honor of David Hunt,

That is where St. Jude comes in. When the pain can't be controlled with prescription narcotics at home, we can call them and get either stronger pain medications or bring him into their "pain room" where they will provide him with hospital administered pain medications including morphine. On one occasion, David's pain was so bad that he was kept overnight at St. Jude, for the first time in his life. I stayed with him. Although I slept on the couch, the room came not only with a separate room but a place where I could connect my computer and work if I needed. They also had snacks for him, games, television and more. They also had snacks for the parents. They really have thought of everything. David has always been resilient. Despite his pain episodes, he continues to thrive, playing football and going to school like any other child. He has maintained good grades, despite having to miss school sometimes because of the pain episodes or other illnesses. Because of sickle cell, some of the illnesses that are innocuous to other children, are quite serious for David. But David has taken this limitation in stride. Even during this pandemic, David has continued to thrive, to grow and excel. We have supported St. Jude, not only for David, but also for all the children who have been treated there and around the world with protocols developed at St. Jude. Clarice and I have raised money for St. Jude

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

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.’ 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.