The mission of The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation is to catalyze multidisciplinary collaborations that inspire groundbreaking innovation, effective prevention, and compassionate intervention to transform care for civilians and military heroes who endure traumatic injuries and events.
The Stepping Strong Innovator Awards program inspires multi-institutional faculty to pursue groundbreaking innovation with a goal of transforming outcomes for civilians and military heroes worldwide.
The Stepping Strong Injury Prevention and Intervention program aims to reduce the number and severity of traumatic injuries resulting from elderly falls, gun violence, distracted driving, and substance use.
The Stepping Strong Plastic Surgery Trauma Fellowship is a unique program designed to train the next generation of medical leaders in advanced and innovative techniques for treating acute and complex injury.
True to the Boston Strong spirit of kindness and collaboration, the members of the Stepping Strong community are inspired to come together to help those with traumatic injuries step strong again.
The #BostonMarathon2021 may be over but we have to share one more photo: our very own #SteppingStrong Military-Civilian Advisor, Dr. Eric Goralnick, got to hang out with two @bostonmarathon
greats - @ambyburfoot (1968 Boston marathon winner) and Bill Rodgers (4x Boston and NYC marathon winner) - while serving as Grand Marshal!
#steppingstrong #represent #legends
It was an honor and a privilege to award the 2021 #SteppingStrong Hero Award to Morgan Stickney, 2-time Gold medal #TeamUSA #Paralympics swimmer.
Morgan, you are the epitome of the Stepping Strong spirit: resilient, positive, determined, courageous, and UNSTOPPABLE!
Morgan joins 3 previous Stepping Strong hero award winners, including inaugural recipient John Mackie. A bystander at the 2013 #BostonMarathon, John saved Gillian's life in the aftermath of the bombing tragedy.
Good luck to our team of 81 amazing @brighamandwomens #SteppingStrong teammates who are running the historic 125th @BostonMarathon today! We are so proud of you and will be cheering you on all the way from Hopkinton to Boylston Street!
There is still time to make a gift! Support the Stepping Strong Center today with a donation to #TurnTragedyIntoHope for #trauma patients. Check our bio for the link 💖💖
Virtual pre-race celebration for the Brigham and Women's Hospital #SteppingStrong #BostonMarathon2021. Your donation of any amount will help our dedicated and resilient runners turn tragedy into hope for #trauma patients. https://bit.ly/3zYoIWI
Teammates had the opportunity to hear inspiring messages to help them cross the finish line, including a very special greeting from two-time gold medal #TeamUSA #Paralympian, Morgan Stickney. @morganstickney
We are so proud of this remarkable team and can't wait to cheer them on during their 26.2-mile journey from Hopkinton to Boylston Street.
Thank you so much for your support. https://bit.ly/3zYoIWI
Tomorrow is the historic 125th @BostonMarathon and our #SteppingStrong teammates are ready to go! We got to wish many of our runners good luck during bag check today. We can't wait to cheer on all these smiling faces tomorrow!
Support our team and help us #TurnTragedyIntoHope for #trauma survivors. Check bio for a link 💖💖
"Thank you so much to our remarkable and dedicated @brighamandwomens #SteppingStrong teammates for running the 125th @BostonMarathon in support of #trauma research and care. Whether you are crossing the finish line in your neighbor or on Boylston Street, we are cheering for you. Congratulations on reaching this milestone and have fun!" - Audrey, Steven, Danielle, and Gillian Reny
We are so grateful for a donation of any amount. Your support will help us raise critical funds for trauma patients like Gillian. Check our bio for a link!
Good luck to our 18 incredible @brighamandwomens #SteppingStrong teammates who will be virtually running the 125th @BostonMarathon this weekend! We have runners from all over the country, including Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Utah. We are so proud of all of you and will be cheering you on wherever your finish line is!
Please support our team! Your donation will #TurnTragedyIntoHope for military and civilian #trauma patients in #Boston and beyond. Link in bio
Recently on @boston25
“Doctors call it a miracle that Cape Cod man is running Boston Marathon”
Another miraculous outcome for a @brighamandwomens
patient running the @bostonmarathon with #SteppingStrong.
From Chris Flanagan for Boston 25 news:
Jon says he’s not a big fan of running but is a big fan of his doctors and nurses and that’s why he’s training hard for his first-ever marathon. It’s a way to pay tribute to his medical team who helped him get back on his feet.
“I think so many times they treat a patient and the patient goes on with their lives. Maybe they never find out what happened. I want them to know because of what they did, because of their dedication, I’m going to run a marathon. I’m choosing to do a very public event so they can see it. It’s my thank you to all the doctors and nurses at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and everyone at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital,” Jon said.
Thank you everyone for you continuous support which helps optimize care for patients such as Jon 🙏🙏🙏
As unexpected civilians with the world coming apart right in front of us - especially as a mom, seeing my child in such a broken state - we will be forever grateful to the Brigham for putting us back together again,” Audrey Epstein Reny recalls, citing her family’s darkest hour as they stood at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013.
After the bombs went off, their family was rushed to the Brigham where Audrey and her husband were treated for minor wounds. However, their 18-year-old daughter Gillian had more serious injuries. Teams of nurses & doctors worked together not only to save her legs, but her life as well.
Seeing Gillian’s resilience, and learning that trauma is the leading cause of death in people under the age of 44, Audrey and her family became very passionate about fundraising and bringing awareness to cutting edge initiatives that can help other trauma survivors. This inspiration gave way to The Gillian Reny @steppingstrongcenter for Trauma Innovation at the Brigham. Since officially opening in 2017, the center has been a collaborative space for clinicians and researchers, across disciplines, to discover groundbreaking innovations and injury prevention methods.
To help raise money and awareness, the center started a running team for the Boston Marathon. Beginning with 12 friends and family, and two of Gillian’s doctors running in the 2014 marathon, the team now has over 100 runners. For Audrey, as the Stepping Strong Center’s Founder and Advisory Board Chair, “it's been incredibly humbling and an honor to find that the community does want to get behind this.”
Whether it’s working with and learning from world-class doctors, or getting to know and cheer on runners, every aspect of the mission is brought forward with passion and a feeling of family. As we look forward to this year’s Boston Marathon, on October 11th, we share motivation from the team’s Number 1 champion, Audrey: “I'm so excited for the team to finally be able to get out there and run. I hope it's a glorious sunny day and that it's the culmination of all they had hoped for, and more, from when they began this journey with the purpose of honoring trauma survivors.
We have less than a week left until the 2021 @bostonmarathon on October 11!
Michael Day, running this year:
“When you've always thought of trying something, eventually you make it a goal. Even if it seems crazy (too old, bad knees, who does this). Even when a pandemic seemingly takes your one chance away.
But then luck strikes twice and now I get a second chance to run 26.2 from Hopkinton to Boylston. To finish on my feet is my goal.
I'd love your support in my attempt at my first marathon - THE Marathon for a Boston boy like me.
I'm proud to be able to participate thru a fantastic organization - Stepping Strong.
Getting to know them over the last 18 months has been a blessing. What amazing work the teams at, and connected to, Brigham and the Center for Trauma Innovation are doing. Changing the lives for thousands of people a year around the world for the better.
Thank you for your support. Having you behind me and the Stepping Strong Team beside me, will carry me to the most iconic finish line in marathons - Boylston Street.”
Check the link in our bio to learn more and to support our runners
Don't miss the annual Health, Hope & HONK! Festival!
10/9, 12-4pm, multiple locations
The #SteppingStrong #InjuryPrevention program will be tabling and offering injury prevention resources so come by and say hello.
Learn more: honkfest.org
@honkfest
Hi from Timothy Allen who is running the @bostonmarathon in 10 days!!
“I hope that you are all doing well and staying safe.
As many of you may remember, last year I ran the 2020 Boston Marathon (virtually) and with your generous support – was able to raise over $10,000 for my charity.
This year’s Boston Marathon will be held in person on October 11, 2021, and I will be running and fundraising for the Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) and the Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation (GRSSC).
The BWH is a state of the art medical center located in Boston, Massachusetts that changes lives every-day with its world class delivery of healthcare.
The GRSSC, located within the BWH, inspires groundbreaking innovation, effective prevention, and compassionate intervention that transforms care for civilians and military heroes who endure traumatic injuries and events. Originally established by the Reny family in gratitude for the care provided to Gillian Reny, who was critically injured in the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing, the GRSSC has raised over $19 million and is making a profound difference in the lives of trauma patients and their families.
Trauma is often referred to as the neglected global epidemic of modern society as it accounts for over 43 million hospital visits and an estimated economic burden of $700 billion per year. It is the number one cause of death for people under the age of 46 (ahead of cancer and heart disease) -- and every 3 minutes, someone dies from a traumatic injury. Supporting the GRSSC helps the BWH turn tragedy into hope for civilian and military heroes worldwide who have suffered devastating traumatic injuries.
Given the race timing, there is a somewhat abbreviated fundraising window, so everyday counts and any amount will help make a difference. In addition, all donations are tax deductible, so please consider donating so that I can reach my goal and help BWH and GRSSC continue to change lives.
Thanks
Tim”
#steppingstrong
12 days until the 2021 @bostonmarathon on October 11!
“Graham & Colton have decided to come out of retirement & tap into what very little athletic prowess remains to run the Boston Marathon this year with Team #SteppingStrong.
While we certainly can't promise you'll be donating to the gold & silver medalists of this year's race, you'll be supporting a great cause that aims to provide groundbreaking innovation, effective prevention, and compassionate intervention to transform care for civilians and military heroes who endure traumatic injuries and events.
We greatly appreciate any donation of any amount! We encourage you to learn more about the mission & goal of the Stepping Strong Foundation. Thank you very much!”
Check the link in our bio to learn more and to support our runners 💖💖🙏🙏
12 days until the 2021 @bostonmarathon on October 11!
Thanks to @beehiveboston and @cosmicaboston for their generosity and support of the #SteppingStrong team at @brighamandwomens !
Make your reservations today!!
Tom Hauser is running with us in 13 days because:
“I’m inspired to run for people like Gillian Reny, but also my friend and military veteran Adam Warden who lost a leg in an accident in his backyard. Remarkably, he had survived two tours of duty in Iraq and was near the Boston Marathon finish line in 2013 and also survived that close encounter. He helped me finish the 2020 virtual Boston Marathon by running the last 10 miles with me around Lake Minnetonka in Minnesota. Talk about inspiration!
I also run for my daughter Abbey. She didn’t suffer a traumatic leg injury, but she lives every day with a genetic disorder, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, that can be traumatic in its own way. Despite the pain this causes, she ran the 2018 Chicago Marathon on crutches. More recently, she ran the virtual Boston Marathon 5K with me near Lake Minnetonka. Talk about Boston Strong! She’ll be with me in Boston on Oct. 11 to cheer me on.”
2 weeks till the #bostonmarathon !!
Why is Stephanie DiTraglia running with us?
“I was always known for my speed at a young age. As many of you know, I continued on with running throughout my life and landed my running career as a collegiate Division I Track and Field Sprinter at the University of New Hampshire. My senior year I was diagnosed with a multilevel degenerative disc disease and was told by many to stop running, lifting, and doing everything that essentially made me who I was..which is an athlete. I tried to find other ways to exercise and to find 'me' again, but ultimately it did not work out that way. I stopped running for a year and a half in total and focused on the rehab of my back.
When the pandemic hit, it made things even more challenging for me mentally & physically, as it did for many. I started to take up running again, except this time, for longer distances. This became a new outlet for me to get out of my own head, silence out the hustle & bustle of the world, and get lost in a runner's high at mile 5. This was my way of setting new goals, changing my mindset, and pushing myself to achieve what I thought was physically impossible for me at one point. Last October, I was diagnosed with a deviated septum and also a bone spur growing in my nose which hindered my breathing. After properly recovering I was eager to get back into the flow of running.
I am participating in the 125th Boston Marathon to prove that despite all the adversity you may face you can do anything that you set your mind to. You can change your perspective and make the best out of any situation. I hope to motivate others to get out of their comfort zones and push themselves to do the impossible.”
You can find out more by visiting our bio and the link “Support the Marathon Team.”
17 days till the #bostonmarathon.
Molly Pfaff is running with us again this year:
“I am excited to be running for the Brigham and Women's Stepping Strong Team for the second year in a row! I am honored to be able to participate in this years historic Boston Marathon, and feel lucky to be able to do it with such a special group for an amazing cause. Please consider making a donation to support my marathon fundraiser.”
You can find out more about by visiting our bio and the link “Support the Marathon Team.”
#18 days till the #bostonmarathon.
This year’s runners Colleen and Billy Shouldice explain why they chose to run for #steppingstrong :
No one ever plans or thinks tragedy will happen to them. In March of 2020 a traumatic injury hit our family. Someone very close to us had an accident, where they fell down the stairs. This fall, which could have happened to anyone, left them paralyzed from the neck down. Our family is very thankful that we live in area that has such incredible trauma teams that were able to save their life, teach them how to live with this injury and ultimately get them back home with family.
When tragedy hits, we often look for ways support those affected. In this case, running The Boston Marathon for the Gillian Reny Stepping Strong team at Brigham and Women hospital is an opportunity for us to support those in need. The team’s mission is to inspire groundbreaking innovation, effective prevention, and compassionate intervention care to transform care for civilians and military heroes who endure traumatic injuries and events. We felt raising money for the Stepping Strong team was a tangible way to step up and support the next family to face tragedy.
We appreciate your support and we hope that we will see you on the course come October 11th cheering us on!
You can find out more about by visiting our bio and the link “Support the Marathon Team.”
19 days till the #bostonmarathon.
From Stephen Gillinov who is running this year:
Running the Boston Marathon has been a lifelong goal of mine, and I could not be happier to be running the 2021 Boston Marathon in support of the BWH Stepping Strong Center.
I really, really appreciate your contribution, no matter the amount! It means so much to me, and will have an important impact on what Stepping Strong at the Brigham can do to promote trauma innovation and clinical care--so that there continue to be many more amazing stories like Gillian's. As my legs suffer en route from Hopkinton to Copley Square (especially through the Newton Hills and final 10K) on October 11th, I will use your amazing support that you provided Stepping Strong as the energy that keeps me going.”
You can find out more about Stephen and our other runners by visiting our bio and the link “Support the Marathon Team.”
#steppingstrong
20 days till the #bostonmarathon.
Pauline is running with her dad Charles:
“My dad, Charles, and I ran the virtual Boston Marathon for the Stepping Strong Foundation Marathon Team in Clinton, NY last September. We had such a great experience, we have decided to do it again- this time, in person! This coming October, the Boston Marathon will be held on the traditional course all the way from Hopkinton to Boston.
We are so excited to join the same team we were on last year and raise money for the Stepping Strong Foundation again. An incredible organization, we can’t wait to continue working with them during our training.”
You can find out more by visiting our bio and the link “Support the Marathon Team.
#steppingstrong #boston #marathon #bostonmarathon