In the summer after my first collegiate cross-country track seasons, I was hit by a car while I was on a training run. Thankfully, my only major injury was a compound (open) fracture of my tibia and fibia – as it could have been much worse! However, the worst part of my injury was that it prevented me from doing the thing I loved most, running competitively.

I was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital and a steel rod and screws were inserted into my bone to heal the fracture. At my follow-up appointment, the doctor informed me that my bone was not going to heal and that I would probably need a bone graft. At the age of 19, the words “bone graft” were very scary.