PARALYZED COLLEGE STUDENT AND HIS GIRLFRIEND OF SALISBURY RUN MARATHON TO RAISE SUPPORT FOR KENNEDY KRIEGER INSTITUTE AT THE 2013 BALTIMORE RUNNING FESTIVAL

2009 Wicomico High School graduates and Virginia Tech seniors 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, a former VT Naval ROTC cadet, who in October of 2010 at age 19 was paralyzed in a car accident while being transported with four other Echo Company cadets, will be competing in the full marathon (26 miles) with the use of a hand cycle. This will be James' first race since being in a wheelchair, though he has continued his passion for sports these past three years participating in both wheelchair basketball and wheelchair lacrosse. Lindsay and James, who have been an inseparable couple since meeting as ninth graders at Wicomico High School in Salisbury, MD, trained for the marathon this past summer and are looking forward to the event. Because of the pace differences between James on 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 for her half marathon. Lindsay and James are currently seniors at Virginia Tech, he a mechanical engineering major, and she a human development major. James is considering graduate school for the upcoming year while Lindsay plans to enter a Physician's Assistant program.

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 or learn more about Kennedy Krieger, visit the Kennedy Krieger Institute's Team Page at http://supportus.kennedykrieger.org/site/TR?fr_id=1120&pg=entry