The Pace Makers at the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k. (Photos courtesy Zach Goode)
When the Richmond marathon gets underway this weekend, a group raising funds for the children’s hospital’s heart center will also be running with the memory of one of their colleagues’ relatives close to their hearts.
The group of cardiology staff members from the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU are running as the CHoR “Pace Makers” in support of the hospital’s Double Goode Heart Fund, a fundraising campaign in honor of Josh Goode, the late brother of cardiologist and Pace Makers co-founder Zach Goode.
Josh, who was born with a rare heart defect and was one of the first babies in Virginia to undergo a successful surgery for it at UVA University Hospital, died last year from complications stemming from a triple organ transplant of his heart, liver and kidney.
Josh Goode in his time with the Marching Virginians, where he was a member of the VTubas.
To honor his older brother’s memory, and to support CHoR research and programs for the next generation of children with heart conditions, Zach formed Pace Makers with fellow CHoR physician Christopher Snyder, chief of pediatric cardiology at the hospital, and Daniel Cannone, a comfort and palliative care doctor.
The group has grown to include their spouses and CHoR colleagues and is open to anyone who wants to support the heart center and the fund. Since forming last year, the Pace Makers have raised over $6,300 toward the fund’s $25,000 endowment goal, with members running in last year’s Allianz Richmond Marathon and associated half marathon and 8k, as well as the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k and other events.
For Zach, the Pace Makers have become a welcome outlet to support the hospital while also celebrating Josh, the oldest of four brothers and a proud 2004 graduate of Virginia Tech, where he was a member of the Marching Virginians and played tuba with the VTubas, who gave him the nickname “Southpaw.”
“He and I are the two lefties in the family,” Zach noted.
Zach Goode
“He left his mark wherever he was. I think one of the hard things whenever you go through that is trying to figure out a way to honor and remember the person. I am a little bit of a doer in that I try to think of ways that can both benefit other people but also be something that they would be proud of. That’s where this idea came up.”
Zach, 41, said he had always been a recreational runner but got into marathons with his husband, Jeremy.
“I’ve never been a competitive runner per se; just to keep healthy and keep active, but also it’s a natural activity to go along with cardiology and promoting cardiology itself,” Zach said.
As stated on the Double Goode Heart Fund’s webpage, Zach’s role on the fetal cardiology team – as a pediatric cardiologist and congenital cardiologist, and as director of the cardiac non-invasive imaging system – “serves as a poignant continuation of Josh’s legacy.”
Josh was born with a single ventricle heart defect, a rare condition affecting about five out of 100,000 newborns that required intricate surgery just days after his birth. His successful surgery at UVA allowed Josh “to thrive and flourish for decades,” marrying his wife Robyne and remaining an avid fan of the Hokies and Virginia Tech football until his death at age 43.
The Double Goode Heart Fund celebrates “Josh’s incredible strength in overcoming his heart defect,” the webpage states. Zach said the name is inspired by the Bedford County farm they grew up on, where Josh developed a love for Holstein cows.
“The Double Goode Farm was the name of the farm growing up, and that was Josh’s other big love outside of the Hokies,” Zach said.
Group members sporting their Pace Makers shirts.
With the Pace Makers participating in Saturday’s marathon, half marathon and 8k, Zach said it will be the latest opportunity for the group to get its name out there and raise awareness and funds for CHoR and the heart center. The group has come up with a logo and is making T-shirts for those wanting to run with them or show their support.
“It’s an open team per se, and anybody that wants to be a part of the team – and even just sharing the link, sharing the webpage – is welcome too,” he said. “The Heart Fund is really to support all of the children’s hospital heart center, and 100% of the proceeds go to research endeavors and new startup ideas, so that we can be at the front end of the innovation in pediatric cardiology.”
As for how the group has added to his day job personally, Zach said: “I think the Pace Makers gives us a little bit of an outlet to bring community into our job. I think all of us have varying levels of stressful jobs, and it’s just kind of a nice communal outlet to enjoy each other outside of the workforce and outside of the trials and tribulations of being in the hospital every day.”
More info about the Double Goode Heart Fund is available on the webpage, where donations also can be made. Donations for the Pace Makers in Saturday’s marathon specifically can be made via the CHoR website here.
This is the latest installment in our Downtime series, which focuses on businesspeople’s pursuits outside of the office. If you, a coworker or someone you know around town has a unique way of passing time off the clock, submit suggestions to Jonathan@RichmondBizSense.com. For previous installments of Downtime, click here.
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