Wings for Life World Run: Gelnhausen runs for spinal cord research!

Wings for Life World Run: Gelnhausen runs for spinal cord research!

The "Wings for Life Worldrun" found on May 5th 2025 in Gelnhausen instead and attracted around 180 participants. The event, which started worldwide at 1 p.m., had the goal of collecting funds for spinal cord research. Steffi Mayer, Mario Blandamura and Johanna Strasser were the initiators of the run. Before the start there was already a common warm-up with Sabrina Wachsmuth from "Better You" and a virtual warm-up via an app.

In the Kinzigtal, more than 300 members of the “Kinzigtal runs” team were active, supported by local organizations such as “The Radbauer” and “Sportbu.de”. Carsten Ullrich moderated the event, while District Administrator Thorsten Stolz and other local politicians wished the participants a lot of fun. At the beginning of the event, almost 6,000 euros could be collected from starting money and "boosters".

running route and special participants

The route led from Altenhaßlau to Höchst and ran on a bike path in the Kinzigtal. Among the participants there were also wheelchair users, families with prams and walkers. The "Catcher Car" started half an hour after the start, which should catch up with the runners at a speed of 14 km/h. Shortly before 4 p.m., only 0.9 percent of the participants had not been obtained. Jennifer Romanowksi and Kevin Stinner reached the goal after more than 40 kilometers, while Jörn Kaufmann made more than one marathon distance.

prices, including a half bike, were raffled off among the participants. The final donation will be announced in the coming days. It is expected with more than 6,000 euros that will flow completely into spinal cord research.

global meaning of the Wing for Life World Run

The Wings for Life World Run celebrates its tenth edition and has the goal of running for those who cannot run worldwide commit. Over one million participants have so far been obtained from the Catcher Car, and a total of 38.3 million euros have been collected in donations.

In recent years, the run has generated significant sums, with 4.7 million euros in 2022 by 161,892 participants from 192 nations. These funds are invested in projects that accelerate the research process. Over 276 research projects have been funded to this day, 74 of which are currently active, including new projects that have been started since 2022

The foundation, which was launched in 2004 by Dietrich Mateschitz and Heinz Kinigadner, has increased in terms of personnel and now offices in Salzburg, England and the USA. Current research approaches include the latest techniques such as vagus nerve stimulation and electrical stimulation for the restoration of movement functions for paraplegic people.

The Wings for Life World Run thus not only contributes to the financing of research, but also to the awareness of the challenges of people with spinal cord injuries. Progress in healing is visible, even if a specific time frame cannot yet be determined. Scientists gather for the Scientific meeting in Salzburg every year to discuss their latest knowledge and promote cooperation.