PARALYZED COLLEGE STUDENT AND HIS GIRLFRIEND, BOTH OF SALISBURY, MD, RAISE SUPPORT FOR KENNEDY KRIEGER INSTITUTE TEAM AT THE 2013 BALTIMORE RUNNING FESTIVAL

2009 Wicomico High School graduates Lindsay Bouchard and James Cook will be competing in the 2013 Baltimore Running Festival Saturday, October 12th to help raise money for the Kennedy Krieger Institute for Spinal Cord Injury in Baltimore, MD. The institute serves 20,000 individuals each year and is internationally recognized for improving the lives of children and adolescents with disorders and injuries of the brain, spinal cord and musculoskeletal system .
James, who in October of 2010 at the age of 19 was paralyzed in a car accident while on duty being transported as an active member of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets and Navy ROTC, will be competing in the marathon with the use of a hand cycle. This will be James' first marathon since being in a wheelchair, though he has continued his passion for sports these past three years by participating in both wheelchair basketball and wheelchair lacrosse. Lindsay and James, who have been an inseparable couple since meeting their freshman year of high school, trained for the 5k marathon in Salisbury this past summer and are looking forward to the event. Because of the pace differences between James using a hand cycle and Lindsay on foot, Lindsay's running partner over the summer was often James' 2 year old German Shepherd, Tally, who did a great job in helping her maintain a strong and consistent running speed. Lindsay and James are currently seniors at Virginia Tech and both are considering graduate school for the upcoming year, she in psychology and he in engineering.
James visits the Kennedy Krieger Institute for physical therapy several times a year and has seen firsthand the excellent work being done at the institute. "As someone who has spent a great deal of time at Kennedy Krieger since about 2011, I can tell you it's been emotionally uplifting for my family and me to see their compassion and drive as they work with children (and adults.) It gives you a completely different perspective on life and makes you realize anything is possible," says James. As part of the 2013 Kennedy Krieger charity team, he, Lindsay, and the other participants aim to increase the number of Kennedy Krieger patients who are able to participate in the races each year, open the door to improved physical fitness for those with disabilities, and fund research towards a cure for paralysis. 
If you would like to sponsor either Lindsay or James, visit Kennedy Krieger Institute's Team Page and click on Sponsor a Participant. Here you will be able to search for both Lindsay and James' pledge pages by first and last name. http://supportus.kennedykrieger.org/site/TR?fr_id=1120&pg=entry