Cancer is a devastating disease that forever changes countless lives every year, but its impact is particularly tragic when it affects a child. Marcello C. Monteiro BJJ Academy student Cesar Amador has been experiencing this on a personal level for three years — his son, Maddox, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in October 2015 at just three years old. Now six years old, Maddox is currently in remission, but is still undergoing chemotherapy.
The Marcello Monteiro academy in Indianapolis, Indiana is now hosting an open mat in Maddox’s honor to help raise money to fight ALL and other variations of leukemia and lymphoma. A $25 donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Indiana Chapter gets you in the door for four hours of rolling, plus a t-shirt to commemorate the event. Several local businesses will also be doing their part to help with the cause, and Everyday Porrada is also a sponsor.
One of Cesar’s teammates, Jonathan Sansão Correa, told the Jiu-Jitsu Times about how Romulo Barral himself got involved with the event:
“Cesar and I are always saying #everydayporrada to each other and it resonates extremely loudly, especially with his case and observing him and his family struggle over the last three years. I told him to reach out to Prof. Romulo and see if we could do something with his movement. He gave us his consent, and he also purchased 100 shirts for the event. He offered to fabricate the shirts, but with the time constraint he wasn’t able to since he was in Brazil; so he gave us permission to fabricate and design, and he approved the design.
Our professor Marcello C. Monteiro is allowing us to use the facility and offering his support and using his BJJ Coach Association to spread the word. He’s in Vegas for Masters Worlds, so won’t be able to attend, but we’re very grateful for his help with the event as well.”
Roll for Maddox will be held this Sunday, August 26 from noon until 4 p.m. at the Marcello C. Monteiro BJJ Academy in Indianapolis. RSVP to the event on its official Facebook page, and whether or not you can attend, we encourage you to make a donation to the cause (Bring evidence of your donation, such as a screenshot, to the event if you’re able to attend). You can also stay up to date and express well-wishes for Maddox on his Caring Bridge page.
