B. Lowe uses Players' Weekend to raise awareness on infertility

This story was originally published on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024.

ST. PETERSBURG -- Two years ago, Brandon Lowe was named the Rays’ nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award. With that honor came another opportunity to give back: a $7,500 donation to the charity of his choice.

Lowe and his wife, Madison, put a lot of thought into it. They were already active in the community, between their “Home Runs for Hope” campaign benefitting the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and the “Lowe’s Legends” program supporting local youth baseball and softball teams.

Ultimately, they chose a cause close to their hearts: the Baby Quest Foundation, which provides financial assistance via grants to people who cannot afford the high costs of infertility treatments. The Lowes came to appreciate the need for that kind of work through their own journey to parenthood, and they eventually learned their donation covered a successful IVF cycle for another couple.

Madison exchanged emails with the expecting parents throughout the process. On Saturday, they finally got to meet in person.

Before Lowe doubled and homered in the Rays’ 6-1 win over the D-backs, he and Madison greeted a group from Baby Quest, including Jennifer and Alex and their 13-month-old daughter, Natalia.

“It’s really cool to kind of see the impact that you're having,” Lowe said. “You can do everything behind closed doors and whatnot, but it means a little bit different when you actually get to meet families, meet the kids. You got to make these parents extremely happy.”

And the Lowes haven’t stopped trying to make a difference with Baby Quest. Their commitment was evident on Saturday, the day of MLB’s Players’ Weekend dedicated to player causes.

While wearing customized camouflage cleats designed by a Jacksonville artist to display his interest in hunting ducks and deer, Lowe also wanted to capitalize on the freedom granted by Players’ Weekend to use more colorful, specially designed bats.

This weekend, Lowe is swinging an Old Hickory model with the words “Strength in Struggle” on one side of the barrel and the words “Help Hope Healing” on the other. The former is a nod to their work to raise infertility awareness, and the latter is tied to their work with the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.

Before Saturday’s game, Madison and Lilia Pepiot stood behind a table near Gate 1 at Tropicana Field, running a “mystery ball sale” benefitting the foundation. They were selling baseballs autographed by current Rays players, with proceeds going to Baby Quest.

At the same time, the “Strength in Struggle” auction the Lowes helped organize was underway online. The auction features a bunch of baseball memorabilia from players and teams around the Majors, including signed baseballs and other autographed gear that Lowe and Madison have gathered throughout the season.

“I can guarantee you they're all authentic,” Lowe said, smiling. “I reached out to all the guys on the different teams. Madison reached out to the wives. Every time that they came into town or we went to them, we were lucky enough to get things signed by those teams to collect for this, and then all the proceeds are going to Baby Quest.”

The Lowes’ dedication and generosity has not been lost on Pamela Hirsch, co-founder of the Baby Quest Foundation. The Lowes invited Hirsch to Tropicana Field on Saturday, and they hosted four of the nearly 200 families who have received grants from the foundation, including the new parents whose in vitro fertilization was covered directly by the Lowes’ Clemente Award donation.

There was another couple sitting in front of Hirsch down the right-field line at Tropicana Field on Saturday. Chris and Aubrey Knapp had been trying to start a family for years, Chris said, and the cost of treatment became a struggle.

Aubrey researched their options and applied for a grant from Baby Quest. Chris said he was stunned when they got the phone call saying they were approved.

Asked what that grant meant, Chris immediately replied, “The world.”

The Knapp's first baby is due in November.

“Two years ago, when Brandon chose Baby Quest for the Roberto Clemente nomination [grant], I thought it was so impressive for a male -- and especially a male athlete like him -- to come out wanting to be identified with the charity that gives grants for infertility,” Hirsch said. “Up until a couple years ago, it's been such a taboo subject for women, let alone men. And for him, wanting to share what they had gone through really makes other men so much more comfortable talking about it.

“Whatever platform they have, it's amazing that they want to share.”