Standing near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013, Gillian Reny's life changed forever. A senseless act of violence left her with traumatic injuries, but the efforts of a multidisciplinary medical team at Brigham and Women's Hospital saved her life and legs. In gratitude, her family established The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation at the Brigham, where today, Gillian's strength drives a relentless pursuit to transform how we prevent, treat, and recover from traumatic injury, the leading cause of death for people ages 44 and younger in the United States.The Stepping Strong Center unites healthcare professionals, policymakers, and community members to revolutionize trauma care and rebuild lives.

From 2019 to 2023, I worked as a nursing assistant in the Brigham Neuro ICU, where I saw firsthand the skill, compassion, and resilience of the nurses caring for patients with devastating neurological injuries. This unit and the amazing 9CD nurses are a major part of what sparked my interest in nursing and inspired me to pursue my own career. Today I work as a Neuro ICU RN at UCSD Health in San Diego and I care for patients each day who have experienced neurological injuries, including strokes and head bleeds. I have been inspired and moved by the courage of my patients and the support of their families. My work has given me humbling appreciation for the resilience of trauma survivors and the importance of continued research, prevention, and rehabilitation. This experience allows me to honor the incredible caregivers who made a difference in my early career at the Brigham and to support a cause that transforms tragedy into hope for patients and families facing life-altering events.

The Brigham also holds personal significance for my family. My mom received her MS diagnosis here in 2019 and she still remembers the doctors, nurses and caregivers who supported her during the most difficult time of her life. She’s the one who instilled a love of running in me and we’ve created countless memories running together. Since her diagnosis, she’s been unable to return to running. Running the Boston Marathon in her honor—especially for the Brigham—means carrying forward something she loved while giving back to the institution that cared for her and for so many others.

Completing the Boston Marathon has been a dream of mine since I was a kid and I am beyond excited to make that dream a reality in April 2026! I feel honored and inspired by your support and can't wait to see you at the finish line on the best Monday of the year!!!

Learn more about the Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation at the Brigham: www.bwhsteppingstrong.org 

Brigham and Women's Hospital is a proud partner of the Bank of America Boston Marathon Official Charity Program.