On Jan. 24, 2010, Melanie Dickens fell on her left foot, a fall that led to a painful condition known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). In an attempt to desensitize her legs and protect them from the elements, Dickens began wearing knee-high socks every day.  As the first anniversary of her injury drew near, Dickens’s family did not want her to be reminded that had it been one year that she had struggled with constant pain. So they set out to focus on the positive through a celebration of her strength. Crazy Sock Day was born. Dickens’s friends and family all wore colorful knee-high socks to show their support.

Now on its seventh year, the 2017 Crazy Sock Day was a huge success. In addition to both local friends and family wearing wild socks, pain warriors from across the country posted photos on social media of their sock prints and styles.

Crazy Sock Day evolved in 2015 to also include a fundraising event that could make a difference in the lives of pain warriors everywhere: the Crazy Sock Walk. This year’s event on Jan. 28 included dozens of supporters, who joined Dickens and her family for a walk and auction to raise money for the U.S. Pain Foundation and the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Association. Paul Gileno, U.S. Pain founder and president, flew down to Dicken’s hometown of Melbourne, Florida, to join the fun.

To donate to Dickens’s chosen charities, click here. To learn more about her pain journey, read her Invisible Project story.