Team Heal Trauma has nine runners who are raising funds for programs for trauma survivors. They are running in the Marine Corps Marathon on October 28th of this year. Their goal is to raise $10,000 for trauma education and advocacy. The team has runners from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey and Tennessee. Runners must raise a minimum of $500.

Helga West started Team Heal Trauma. She is the founder of Witness Justice, a non-profit organization which offers support and advoacy for violence and trauma survivors located in Frederick, MD. West was assulted in 1993 and left nearly paralyzed. She survived an attack while in a rental care close to Miami International Airport. She and her mother took a vacation to Florida and on the way to the airport she made a wrong turn and was approached by assailants. She was assaulted as her mother watched. She was a runner before her attack. She has run two marathons since then, the Marine Corps Marathon and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon held in San Diego, California.

“So much of the work we do is pretty serious,” West said. “Everything about the formation of the run has been so uplifting and so inspirational. It’s incredible how motivated people are and how committed they are.”

Source: The Fredrick News-Post Online