Statements

Mission

At Turner's Heroes, we are strong believers that every patient is a Superhero; all we do is provide the capes. Through our connections with children's hospitals and athletes, we are able to make sure that pediatric patients feel like superheroes. We do this by hosting superhero themed events at children's hospitals, while connecting pediatric patients and their families with athletes both within and outside of the hospital environment. While we support pediatric patients, we work towards a cure for pediatric cancer through the funding of Discovery Grants and endowment funds.

Background

Turner Cockrell, a native of Acworth, Georgia, was a son, brother, teammate, and friend to all who met him. He was also a tight end at Vanderbilt University. In late 2017, Turner was diagnosed with melanoma. He underwent radiation treatment at Ingram Cancer Center at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The radiation worked to rid his body of the initial cancer, but a follow-up scan in the summer of 2018 found new nodes of cancer within his lungs. Turner enrolled in an immunotherapy trial at MD Anderson in Houston, but it was not enough; the cancer overtook his body. Turner passed away on November 29, 2018.

Superheroes were always a huge part of Turner's life. There were few things that Turner liked to discuss, analyze, and watch more than those associated with superheroes. It is also fair to say that Turner was a hero to many due to his positive and jovial attitude through his heroic battle with his illness. Turner's Heroes was established in spring of 2019 as a way to honor Turner and bring joy to pediatric patients in Nashville and beyond.

Turner's Heroes works with student-athletes, athletic departments, and professional athletes to support pediatric patients through superhero-themed cape designing events. These events can be in person or cape kits delivered to children's hospitals. Turner's Heroes also engages student-athletes and communities to fundraise for pediatric cancer research.

Impact

Accomplishments:
- Distributed over 500 cape kits to children's hospitals in Nashville, Atlanta, Memphis, and Madison, WI.
- Funded $50,000 pediatric cancer research grant at the Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt focused on new and more effective ways to treat pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
- Worked with student-athletes at Vanderbilt University, Austin Peay State University, University of Memphis, Georgia State University, as well as high schools in Tennessee and Georgia to support pediatric patients and pediatric cancer research.

Goals
- Expand our reach in Tennessee to more children's hospitals and pediatric patients.
- Hold in-person cape designing events at five different children's Hospitals and distribute over 500 capes.
- Fund a new $50,000 Discovery Grant at the Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.
- Build up the Turner Cockrell Endowment Fund so that we can continually and sustainable grow into the future/

Needs

Most Pressing Needs:
1. Continue to build our infrastructure to be able to work with more children's hospitals through an increase in funds.
2. Hire staff to help build this infrastructure and create/maintain relationships with children's hospitals.
3. Continue to increase our investment in the Turner Cockrell Endowment Fund.
4. Seek new connections with athletic departments across the country in order to support even more pediatric patients.
5. Expand our Board of Directors to engage more areas of the Middle TN community.

CEO Statement

Cody Markel started Turner's Heroes while a student-athlete at Vanderbilt University. Cody was a part of the same football class as Turner at Vanderbilt, and they eventually became very good friends and roommates. Cody started Turner's Heroes as a way to honor his late friend and carry on his spirit after his passing. He graduated from Vanderbilt in December of 2019 with a double major in Political Science and Medicine, Health, and Society. Cody was awarded the 2019 Southeastern Conference Brad Davis Community Service Leader of the Year award, the Vanderbilt Athletics Community Leader Award, the Vanderbilt Athletics Jim A. Robbins Character Award, and the National Football Foundation of Middle Tennessee C.R. Bickerstaff/Coach Bill Pace Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award for his work on Turner's Heroes. Cody grew up in Middleton, Wisconsin just outside of Madison.

Service Categories
Primary Category:	Health Care  - Patient & Family Support
Secondary Category:	Health Care  - Fund Raising & Fund Distribution
Tertiary Category:	Community Improvement, Capacity Building  -

Areas Served

TN - Davidson

Other

TN - Tennessee (Entire State)