Melissa Wilcox is a Cigna employee. In 2012, Melissa had a vision to start the Philadelphia Chapter of Achilles International, after guiding a visually-impaired athlete during the Disney World Half Marathon. Melissa’s commitment to form the Philadelphia chapter continues to grow in numbers and provide athletes with disabilities with an avenue for becoming physically fit.
Today “Philly Achilles” has a diverse range of athletes with disabilities and over 60 dedicated volunteers who travel from all over the Delaware Valley and New Jersey demographics to participate in group workouts and support the chapter’s growing number of athletes. The non-profit group pairs athletes with disabilities with compassionate and trained guides who place an emphasis on safety to ensure that our members reach their optimal fitness potential. Since the inception of the Philadelphia chapter in 2012, the organization has completed numerous races from 5ks to marathons. When one athlete succeeds at achieving a milestone, we all succeed!
While the physical fitness aspect is the most obvious, Philly Achilles builds self-esteem and promotes team camaraderie. This Philadelphia-based organization provides encouragement, support, friendship, and bountiful inspiration.
Philly Achilles is always looking for new members to join in the fitness and fun! Whether you or someone you know has a disability, or you would like to volunteer your time while getting fit, this is the perfect opportunity to connect with like minded individuals in the community. We invite you to join us at Two Liberty Place at 9am on Saturday mornings. Please contact melissa@phillyachilles.com for more details.