GILLIAN'S STORY - TURNING TRAGEDY INTO HOPE

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. The center has raised more than $30 million to fuel trauma research, advance education, build community, and inspire advocacy. 

MY STORY

For those that know me well, you know that I never used to enjoy running. It was something I’d never been particularly good at. Soccer was my passion. Tell me to run 5 miles with a soccer ball at my feet, no problem! Tell me to run 5 miles without a soccer ball, absolutely not! When I tore my ACL in May 2023 while playing soccer, I was terrified that I’d never be the same physically. Physical therapy was daunting, everything hurt, and recovery was slow. I was told that I wouldn't be able to return completely to the active lifestyle I was used to living. The thought of being limited didn’t sit well. I had to learn how to walk properly again, which meant I had to learn how to run properly again. Through months of re-learning the proper running form with my physical therapists, I decided to stick with running.

Through months of failed long runs, tears, blisters, and tons of stretching, I successfully trained and ran the Chicago Marathon. I proved to myself that not only did I make a physical recovery from surgery, but I came back stronger than before. That marathon was for myself. Nothing worth having comes easy--running has taught me that.

As I start training for the 129th Boston Marathon this month, I look forward to not only pushing myself to train for another marathon, but to raise money for a cause that’s making a difference in the lives of those who suffer traumatic injuries. I hope that you will consider supporting me on my road to Boston by donating on my behalf! Your donation will make a difference to advance trauma innovation, research, and care for the benefit of patients worldwide. The past year has been a rollercoaster, but I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude for the journey that's brought me here. Im honored to join the Brigham Team. Let the training begin :)