Real life superheroes

For Assurance Associate Brady Thomas, Stewardship meant stepping up to help a friend.   

When Brady’s friend Cody Markel founded the not-for-profit Turner’s Heroes with the goal of supporting pediatric cancer research and patients, Brady got involved from the start by volunteering in his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin.  

“Turner’s Heroes is so important to me because I know firsthand the impact it has and how hard Cody has worked to make it happen,” said Brady. “Cody put law school at Duke on hold and works countless hours to keep the organization moving toward its goals.”   

Providing capes for kids   

Cody named the initiative after his late teammate Turner Cockrell, after witnessing Turner’s radiant positivity throughout his time with cancer.  

Since forming in 2019, Turner's Heroes has helped more than 750 pediatric patients feel like superheroes by supplying superhero capes and art supplies to local hospitals in Madison, Atlanta and Nashville. When volunteers visit the young patients, they help kids customize their own superhero capes.  

“It’s so exciting seeing how happy the children are in the hospital when they get to decorate their superhero cape and wear it,” said Brady. “This simple activity never fails to put a smile on the face of a pediatric cancer patient — a real life superhero we should all admire.”  

Turner's Heroes also partners with college and professional athletes to plan visits with patients and has partnered with several NFL players for the NFL's My Cause My Cleats initiative. The group also works with professional golfer and Vanderbilt alumnus Will Gordon, who assisted Turner’s Heroes with fundraising efforts and wore a golf towel designed by a pediatric cancer patient while playing on the PGA Tour.