You never know where your life will change.
For Lutherville resident Brad Potterfield, it was in an airport terminal in Atlanta.
More than a year ago, Potterfield was waiting for a flight when he met a man wearing a T-shirt for St. Jude?s, a children?s research hospital in Tennessee. “He told me about his best friend?s son, who had brain cancer and was fighting for his life,” Potterfield said. “He went down [to Tennessee] to support him, and when he saw St. Jude?s and everything they did, it changed his life.”
Inspired by the stranger?s story, Potterfield, along with his neighbors Jeff Orbin, Phil Yakin and Rob Lynch, organized 12 Hours for St. Jude, a 12-hour relay bike ride to raise money for the cause.
St. Jude?s, founded in 1962 by entertainer Danny Thomas, works to find cures for children or adolescents with newly diagnosed, untreated or suspected cancer; HIV infections; and other diseases. St. Jude?s covers all costs of treatment for patients.
“All four of us are into the sport of riding,” Potterfield said. “And what better thing to do than incorporate something you love with a great cause?”
Fellow rider Orbin has a 2-year-old daughter, and another child on the way in October. “I?m fortunate to have a healthy child,” he said. “Imagine how much better things could be for those less fortunate if everyone you knew donated a small amount of time and/or money to a great cause [like St. Jude?s].”
Adonna Sugars, who has been working at St. Jude?s for 23 years in its Coordinator Support department, said the work completed by the volunteers is what keeps the hospital open.
“Ninety-eight percent of the people that are helping the hospital have no personal connection,” she said.
Potterfield says his children?s health is always on his mind.
“When they skin their knee, or hit their head, you just freeze up. I can?t even fathom what [the parents at St. Jude?s] are going through,” he said.
Potterfield hopes to continue the relay indefinitely. “We?ve already been bombarded with people wanting to sign up for the race next year,” he said.
