In May 2010, U.S. Army veteran Catherine Bane and her husband, Marine Corps veteran Ray Bane, ran their first race with Hope For The Warriors at the Jacksonville Run For The Warriors. Little did Catherine know this would be the start of her healing journey as a military sexual assault survivor.
“That night, after I put the children to bed, and still on my runner’s high, I went to the Hope For The Warriors website. Until that moment, I had not truly started my healing journey. Times in the past when I felt ready, I just could not find the resources I needed. Everything seemed to be for those who had just recently been assaulted. As a wife of a Marine and a mother of two little ones I struggled to speak up and make the time. But I reached out to HOPE that night”
Through HOPE, Catherine received the counseling support she needed, grew a stronger passion for running as a member of Team Hope For The Warriors, and found a support system for her and her family. Above all, she found the camaraderie in the staff, fellow veterans, and military families that she longed for after transitioning to civilian life.