A bit about me:
I’m accident-prone. During my dad’s speech at my engagement party, he laughed about me being on a first name basis with ER docs in three states. I’m also always moving- I’m a swimmer, a runner, a tennis player, a skier- needless to say, I’ve been to multiple trauma centers and I’m so thankful that I’ve always had skilled doctors setting my bones. 
While running in March 2024, I slipped on ice and broke my fibula. My surgeon told me he was impressed I broke it so well just running.  I do aim to please :) I’m so grateful that my skilled doc set my leg and placed the hardware so that I could continue running. I’m deeply grateful to my amazing PT that got me back on my feet. 
My dad is one of my best friends, and he is a Navy veteran. When learning about the Brigham, I loved finding out about the work they’ve done for the military, including pioneering face transplants for soldiers returning from the Middle East. 

My desire to support trauma survivors and military veterans led me to Stepping Strong, and I cannot wait to run Boston with them. 

A bit about Stepping Strong and the Brigham. 

In 2013, Boston was changed forever when a beautiful Marathon Monday turned into a senseless tragedy. Gillian Reny, then a high school senior, was one of 39 critically injured patients rushed to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where doctors and nurses saved her life and legs. With gratitude to the Brigham, the Reny family established The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation to help other trauma patients regain their strength and ability to step strong once again.

The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation aims to catalyze trauma innovation for injured civilians and military heroes through multidisciplinary investigative collaborations across the continuum of trauma care, from prevention to treatment and recovery. Stepping Strong-funded initiatives are making a profound impact on trauma survivors and their families worldwide. The center has raised more than $30 million to fuel trauma research, advance education, build community, and inspire advocacy. But much more needs to be done.

Trauma is a neglected global epidemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control:

• Trauma is the number one cause of death for people 44 or younger, ahead of cancer and heart disease.
• Traumatic injuries comprise 40% of visits to emergency departments.
• More than $2 trillion per year is spent on decreased productivity, work loss, and medical costs due to traumatic injuries.
• Despite the significant burden of trauma, less than 2% of federal funding is allocated toward trauma research, inhibiting our ability to understand how to prevent, treat, and improve recovery from traumatic injury.

The Stepping Strong Center remains committed to serving as a leader in trauma research and innovation to bridge this gap and advance the field of trauma care. When you support a member of the Brigham's Stepping Strong Boston Marathon Team, you are helping the center turn tragedy into hope for civilians and military heroes worldwide who have suffered devastating traumatic injuries.

Thank you for supporting this extraordinary group of runners and continuing to honor the Boston Strong spirit that still defines our city today. Learn more about the Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation at the Brigham.