From the Dorchester Brewing Co. website: 

Friday, March 24 at 3pm we’ll be hosting the next in our DOTtalk series, featuring the team from The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation. Once again, this presentation from a Boston-area non-profit is paired with a charity beer that we’re brewing, and the proceeds from which will go to benefit The Stepping Strong Center.

Come by the taproom on Friday, March 24 at 3pm to learn more about The Stepping Strong center and its work!

About The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation:

The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation inspires robust research collaborations across medical disciplines and institutions while providing funding to talented physician-scientists—all with a goal of transforming trauma care for civilians and military heroes who suffer from devastating traumatic injuries. Our core work focuses on trauma innovation and injury prevention and intervention.

On April 15, 2013, Gillian Reny stood near the finish line of the Boston Marathon with her parents, Steven and Audrey Epstein Reny, waiting for her sister Danielle to finish the race. Then two bombs went off and a beautiful day turned to heartbreaking tragedy for the Renys and all of Boston.

When first responders rushed the Renys to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Audrey and Steven were treated for minor injuries while doctors and nurses worked heroically to save Gillian’s life. In the process, they also saved both of her legs.

Inspired by Gillian’s resilience—and forever grateful to the Brigham team that saved her life—the Reny family established the Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Fund in February 2014. Less than two years later, building on the incredible growth and momentum of the fund, Brigham President Betsy Nabel, MD, announced her intention to expand the fund from a virtual program into a physical hub dedicated to collaborative, multidisciplinary efforts in trauma research and recovery. The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation opened officially in January 2017 in the Hale Building for Transformative Medicine.

Today, Stepping Strong is a vibrant physical center with renowned medical directors at two of Boston’s most esteemed hospitals and talented innovators at multiple institutions across the city. While Gillian continues her journey toward recovery, she serves as a global ambassador for turning tragedy into hope. And many years after the devastating Boston Marathon bombings, the center is proud to make a significant impact on the lives of trauma survivors worldwide.

TRAUMA INNOVATION

Through the Stepping Strong Innovator Awards program, our multi-institutional faculty continue to pursue groundbreaking research, accelerate innovation, and advance education for young clinician-researchers. In addition to training the next generation of leaders in advanced surgical techniques and funding leading-edge research projects, the center aims to provide further educational opportunities in the areas of raising capital, licensing, commercialization, and entrepreneurship.

TRAUMA PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION

Under Dr. Salim’s leadership, the center is proud to introduce the new Stepping Strong Injury Prevention and Intervention program, which aims to prevent traumatic injuries resulting from distracted driving, gun violence, falls, and other situations before they occur. Our goal is to reduce the volume and severity of traumatic injuries through multiple in-hospital and community-based outreach and advocacy initiatives, in conjunction with research studies and training programs focused on best practices for intervention and prevention.