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 the 39 critically injured patients rushed to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where doctors and nurses saved her life and both of her legs. In gratitude to the Brigham, the Reny family established The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation to help other trauma patients like Gillian regain their strength and ability to step strong once again.
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. Stepping Strong funded initiatives are making a profound difference for trauma patients and their families worldwide. To date, the center has raised more than $19 million. But much more needs to be done.
Trauma is often referred to as the neglected global epidemic of modern society as it accounts for 43 million hospital visits and an economic burden of $700 billion per year. It is the number one cause of death for people 46 or younger, ahead of cancer and heart disease -- and every 3 minutes, someone dies from a traumatic injury. When you support a member of the Brigham Stepping Strong Marathon Team, you are helping the Brigham turn tragedy into hope for civilian and military heroes worldwide who have suffered devastating traumatic injuries.
FUNDS RAISED BY THE TEAM WILL
- Help launch early-stage research initiatives that align with the mission of the center through the $25,000 Stepping Strong Start-Up Grants.
- Provide $100,000 Stepping Strong Innovator Awards to deserving research teams in areas spanning bone, wound, and skin healing; limb transplant and reconstruction; bone and muscle regeneration; advanced stem cell technology; orthopaedic and plastic surgery; bioengineering, emergency preparedness and injury prevention.
- Bestow follow-on grants of up to $300,000 to previous Innovator Award recipients who have demonstrated outstanding scientific efficacy through the Stepping Strong Breakthrough Award program.
- Join forces with internal and external community partners to reduce the numbers and severity of traumatic injuries in Boston and beyond via the Stepping Strong Injury Prevention Program. The program accomplishes its goals through a three-pronged approach: community outreach, research of best practices, and training healthcare professionals.
- Educate the next generation of medical leaders through three fellowship opportunities: (1) The Stepping Strong Trauma Fellowship trains plastic surgeons in innovative and advanced techniques for treating acute and complex traumatic injury, (2) the Stepping Strong Injury Prevention Fellowship allows young investigators to explore social science and public health principles with a goal of reducing the number and severity of traumatic injuries in Boston and beyond, and (3) starting later this spring, the multi-institutional Stepping Strong Amputee Fellowship will provide a comprehensive curriculum for investigators seeking to improve the lives of civilian and military patients with limb loss.
- Through the Stepping Strong Accelerator Program, provide grantees with a comprehensive menu of services to accelerate their work, secure external grants, collaborate with like-minded multidisciplinary researchers, connect with the industry leaders, and commercialize their innovations.
To learn more, contact Ali Luthman (marathonteam@bwh.harvard.edu; 617-424-4235). For information about Stepping Strong news, events, and funded program areas visit www.bwhsteppingstrong.org.
