I started a podcast with my best friend and life partner, Jackie
“Grey Matters” as a title is a play on words. Grey matter is a vital part of the brain containing neurons and glial cells, imperative for motor function, processing thoughts, perception of life and emotions. We believe overall health and well being should start and focus on the brain & mind. We thought this would be appropriate because not only will our content and conversations focus on brain health, it will also focus on the grey areas. Most people live their lives in a grey area. Everyone is an individual & what works for one person, may not provide the same results for another. Health and wellness aren’t always black or white, right or wrong, with or against societal norms. That’s why grey areas matter. At the Grey Matters podcast, we embrace both grey areas and grey matter & it is our goal to explore and discuss all things grey.
Episode 2 is now live where we share our story of how we became “us”.
A new episode will be out every Monday at 730am EST.
To check out both episodes and to subscribe, click here.
For those of you who have no idea who I am, I am a Pro BMX athlete who moved away from home on Cape Cod, MA at 17 years old to train with pro’s like Dave Mirra in Greenville, NC. About two years later I rode X-Games for the first time after winning my first pro contest.
Less than a year later I fell and hit my head, and an MRI revealed a large brain tumor that was taking up a major portion of my brain. I didn’t know where to turn, but Athlete Recovery Fund stepped up to the plate and provided the financial assistance and direction that ultimately saved my life! Despite all odds, I recovered to become 10th overall in the 2016 UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup standings, not even a year out of ACL reconstructive surgery.
It is estimated that about 700,000 people are currently living with a primary brain or central nervous system tumor diagnosis in the US alone. Nearly 79,000 new cases of primary brain tumors are expected to be diagnosed this year, almost 5,000 being adolescents (0-19) years old and 17,000 people will lose their battle with a primary malignant and central nervous system brain tumor. An estimated 1.7 million people sustain a TBI annually, 52,000 die, 275,000 are hospitalized, and 1.365 million, nearly 80%, are treated and released from an emergency department.
Along the way, I’ve become very passionate about holistic health and nutrition and enrolled myself in a nutrition program to earn a certification as a Holistic Health coach on a path to better my health, life, and others in the world. I want to combine all of my passions into one live BMX event that will directly and financially help brain tumor and brain injury patients around the world. Being a brain tumor and brain injury patient myself, I know the mental, physical and financial toll it takes on you. I want to use my experiences and abilities to lessen that for others as much as I can.
I come from a family with no money, and I have been supporting myself since I was 17 by living my dream from riding my bike. I do whatever I can to give back now, and these global events will allow me to give back even more and on a much greater scale than what I can currently do on my own.
I want to create a global touring BMX event that will positively impact the lives of people around the world. To do this, I need funding. The problem is, I don’t have that kind of funding. So, how can I make this happen? Then I thought, wait a minute. “Josh, you’re a man of the people. Let’s start a fundraising campaign!”
The goal of this fundraising campaign is to raise funds to start and operate for a whole year so that way all the events we book, the merchandise we sell, and donations we acquire hereafter will be used to donate percentages of the proceeds to direct financial patient care. We are more than a BMX stunt show, we are a BMX stunt show offering free clinics for people to try BMX out after the show, live music performances, professional athletic trainers on site to provide demonstration therapies and techniques, and are backed by some of the biggest health facility, organizations, and corporations in the world.
I truthfully think the only thing standing in the way of me getting from point A to point B, is proper funding. Point B being inspiring, educating, entertaining, and supporting people around the world. I want to create and cultivate something large enough so that I no longer need financial support to operate events, and the organization is overbooked and giving 100’s of thousands of dollars away each year to directly support patients and get them the care they need.
This project is so important and means the world to me. If you guys help us out, I know I can inspire hope to those in need and completely change the lives of many around the world.
I can do this, but I can’t do it without you. Together, we can have an amazing time and leave a positive impact on our world.
Thank you for your time. I appreciate each and every one of you. See you soon!  -Josh Perry
You can help Josh achieve his dream of giving back and support his cause to bring awareness and assistance to those who suffer from tumors, cancers, and injuries of the brain by donating today!
