| BMX
Racing is a dangerous sport. As with the majority
of professional sports, the money earned is all-too-often
not enough to make ends meet, let alone pay for something
as expensive as medical bills. Professional BMX racer
Joey Bradford has seen far too many fellow riders
and industry professionals become engulfed in insurmountable
medical bills stemming from injury or illness. For
this reason, in early 2007, the then 17-year old racer
took it upon himself to do something about it. With
help from his family and key industry veterans, Bradford
conceptualized and developed the Joey Bradford
Disability Fund.
WHAT
IT IS
The
Foundation, a federally recognized and regulated
non-profit organization, aims to ease the burden
of medical bills, either by injury or illness, for
BMX professionals as well as BMX industry professionals,
those whose primary income comes from the BMX industry
itself. “Getting injured is the worst thing
that can happen to a professional athlete,”
states Professional BMX racer Brandon Meadows.
“When I broke my femur for the second time,
things seem to go downhill real fast. I just started
a family, lost my sponsor, broke my leg, no way
to make any money, and it soon came to a realization
that it was going to be hard to make ends meet.”
Applicants must apply themselves or via a family
member and their case will be reviewed by the five
person Fund Committee. If the application is approved,
up to 50% of the fund can be released to help with
monetary medical obligations. The five person Fund
committee members are as follows- Jerry Bradford,
Joey Bradford, Anthony Derosa, Pete Dylewski, and
Shannon Gillette.
HOW
TO GET INVOLVED
At
this time, donations to the fund are welcome and
invited. In the past, donations have usually been
accepted after a rider is injured or takes ill.
With this fund, donations can be made any time,
at the donor’s convenience, plus all donations
are tax deductible. Plus, donors will have the ability
to donate to a specific injured or ill athlete or
industry professional directly on the Fund site.
www.joeybradforddisabilityfund.org
ABOUT
JOEY BRADFORD
Joey
Bradford has been working and training with
USA Cycling and is a candidate for the 2008 and
2012 US Olympic BMX teams. Joey is the proud owner
of 14 World Championship BMX titles, 12 National
Championship BMX titles and, in MTB, 4 Sea Otter
Classic Mountain Cross Championships. Joey is 18
years old, hails from Monterey, California and rides
for GT Bicycles.
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