By Sophie Nulph
A local man’s life has come in full circle through his work with the Roche Children’s Walk.
Westfield resident Brad Todd started a job at Roche Indy at the same time that he and his wife were looking to adopt internationally.
“For us, it was something where it just felt like that’s what our path was,” Todd said. “We were strongly led and called to it.”
They brought their son Levi home in 2011.
During the same time frame, Todd began to get involved in the Roche Children’s walk, a fundraiser that helps different projects around the world. Money raised at the Indianapolis benefits Roche’s international funds and the Indianapolis Jameson Camp.
The Jameson Camp conducts a weeklong camp called Tataya Mato that allows children impacted by HIV/AIDS to attend for free.
Roche is the world’s largest biotech company. Its mission is to help improve and manage personal health conditions. It also produces diagnostic technologies for conditions.
Todd said he was motivated to get involved in the Roche Children’s Walk because of the number of orphaned children in Ethiopia, where Levi is from.
Todd was able to travel to Ethiopia with Roche, making his life come full circle. While there, he spent time at Salam Children Village, an orphanage started by two sisters who also were orphaned as children. The second part of the week was spent in northern Ethiopia, working with children to engage them in learning.
“(The goal of the work was) to influence children’s ability to be excited about going to school and be successful,” Todd said.
The Roche Children’s Walk is June 25 at the Roche Indy Campus. For more, visit roche.com.
