A chilly morning couldn’t stop Cheryl Hile and the Run a Myelin My Shoes (RAMMS) team of MS warriors from hitting the streets for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, all to raise money for multiple sclerosis research and awareness around staying active while living with MS.

Hile and more than 400 supporters took part in the November 6th event, with 53 runners on the ground in downtown Indianapolis and hundreds more walking, running, and getting active around the United States and across the globe.

“I am so proud of my teammates because we just completely crushed it.” said Hile from her home Washington state. “Last year it was all virtual so the fact we were able to rise up in person to show the world it is possible to exercise and do amazing things while living with MS just means so much to me. I am so proud of every single one of my teammates.”

Participants from 23 countries and 45 US states raised $33,350 and Hile is still looking for donations as she closes out 2021 with her strongest showing since the RAMMS team first launched four years ago.

“These numbers are so amazing for being in another tough pandemic year. So, it’s just such a rewarding experience to be able to pull this off.”

Hile was diagnosed with MS in 2006 and soon after dropfoot halted her ability to run. Within a year Cheryl was given an Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) which allowed her to get back to the sport, but she struggled for years to find an AFO that was truly right for her.

In 2018 she met with the team from Thuasne and with the help of Hanger Clinic a custom AFO was developed for her needs. The collaboration between Hile, Thuasne and Hanger inspired the SpryStep Flex, a groundbreaking addition to Thuasne’s range of off-the-shelf and custom AFOs, offering increased flexibility for the most active patients.

For Hile, the partnership between Thuasne and Hanger Clinic has had a major impact on her life and the life of her RAMMS team.

“A lot of the reason we were so successful this year is because of companies like Thuasne and Hanger Clinic supporting us.” said Hile. “You are all so much a part of this journey and because of you we’ve been able to have a global outreach. One person can’t do this alone, it truly takes a team of special people to make this happen.”