INTRODUCING THE JOEY BRADFORD DISABILITY FUND – Monterey, California – 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.