Stepping Strong B.A.A. 5K Event

The mission of The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation is 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 difference for trauma patients and their families worldwide. To date, the center has raised more than $27 million. But much more needs to be done.

Trauma is referred to as the neglected global epidemic of modern society, as it accounts for 38 million emergency department visits and an economic burden of $4.5 trillion every year. Despite being the leading cause of death for people ages 44 and younger and claiming the life of one person every 2 minutes, less than 2% of federal funding is allocated to trauma research. That is why the Stepping Strong Center helps patients along the entire continuum of trauma care by educating the public on evidence-based interventions to prevent injuries from ever occurring, funding research that will revolutionize trauma care, and advancing patient recovery to improve quality of life and long-term outcomes. Through each stage of prevention, treatment, and recovery, the Stepping Strong Center remains committed to fueling research, advancing education, building community, and inspiring advocacy.

Traumatic injuries are complex and require multidisciplinary solutions, which is why the Stepping Strong Center brings together experts from numerous medical specialties and other industries to establish how to better care for patients before, during, and after a traumatic injury. When you support a member of the Brigham Stepping Strong Marathon Team, you are helping Stepping Strong turn tragedy into hope for civilian and military heroes worldwide who have suffered devastating traumatic injuries.

Funds raised by the team will

• Fund innovative research projects that address clinical problems impacting both civilian and military patients, including the Ewing Amputation, a revolutionary lower extremity procedure first featured on CNN.
  
• Train the next generation of medical leaders in advanced techniques for treating acute and complex traumatic injuries, through the Stepping Strong Fellowship program.
  
• Fuel collaborations between multidisciplinary scientists from fields including limb reconstruction, advanced stem cell technology, bioengineering, wound healing, bone healing, skin and nerve regeneration, and more from institutions including Mass General Brigham and Harvard Medical School.
  
• Support outreach activities that utilize evidence-based education to empower citizens to reduce the number and severity of traumatic injuries, through the Stepping Strong Injury Prevention Program.
  
• Inspire policy changes to encourage the safety of citizens and the prevention of traumatic injuries.
  
• Help trauma survivors in their long-term recovery process by providing them assistance with basic needs that can improve their quality of life after suffering a traumatic injury.

To learn more, contact Ali Luthman at team@bwh.harvard.edu or 857 505 1225. For information about Stepping Strong news, events, and funded program areas, visit bwhsteppingstrong.org.