2008 Public Service Announcements

LAST YEAR, IT HURT TOO MUCH TO STAND. TODAY, SHE CARRIES A NATION ON HER SHOULDERS.

At her clinic in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Dr. Olabisi Claudius-Cole treated patients of all ages with any condition, and would often take no payment in return. When arthritic hips and knees kept her from the rigors of daily patient care, a disaster loomed.

Dr. Claudius-Cole’s sister led her to an American orthopaedic specialist, who had just heard rocker/activist Bono issue his mandate for caring people everywhere to step up and make a difference. As he listened to Dr. Claudius-Cole, he saw his own chance to do just that. Donating his own surgical services, he helped mobilize an entire medical team to get Dr. Claudius-Cole back on her feet. He even arranged free hip and knee implants.

Today, Dr. Claudius-Cole is fully recovered, and back at her vital healing practice in West Africa. Her story truly brings new meaning to the term “pro-Bono.” We share it here because it sends two of the most contagious messages we know. Don’t give up, and remember to give back.

Celebrating Human Healing. Visit www.orthoinfo.org or www.aaos.org/75years.

A SHORT STORY ABOUT GROWING UP WITH AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE. POLIO.

As one of the last American children to contract polio, Jeffrey Galpin grew up in a world of iron lungs and body casts, alone with his imagination. His story would be dramatic enough if it was just about his battle with this dreaded disease.

But Jeffrey Galpin did more than survive polio. He went on to a list of achievements in medical research—including being the principal investigator in applying the first gene therapy for HIV/AIDS.

Dr. Galpin actually credits his own incurable condition for giving him the focus that made him so passionate in his research. His story leaves us with two of the most contagious messages we know. Don’t give up, and remember to give back. If Dr. Galpin’s story inspires just one more person to make a difference, then its telling here has been well worth while.

Celebrating Human Healing. Visit www.orthoinfo.org or www.aaos.org/75years.

A SHORT STORY ABOUT A MOTORCYCLE. AND A SUDDEN TURN.

When she was a young college student, Elisabeth Marra had a serious motorcycle accident that ultimately changed her life. Two years after the crash, her painful open fractures had failed to heal. Then she heard about a new and complex surgery pioneered by a surgeon who used a patient’s own stem cells to concentrate the healing process. This time, her surgery and subsequent therapy were successful.

Elisabeth’s experience caused her to re-direct her own career aspirations. Inspired by the medical professionals who helped her reclaim her active lifestyle, she changed her major to study physical therapy—a profession where her own experience could help other patients prevail through difficult recoveries.

We tell Elisabeth Marra’s story here to illustrate two of the most profound messages we know. Don’t give up, and remember to give back. If reading it inspires just one more person to achieve something special, then its telling here has been well worth while.

Celebrating Human Healing. Visit www.orthoinfo.org or www.aaos.org/75years.

A SHORT STORY ABOUT A HARD CURVE. AND A HOME RUN.

Carol Truncale’s story isn’t just about how she prevailed through a severe childhood case of scoliosis, or curvature of the spine. It’s about what she did when she grew up.

She became a nurse—a decision inspired by the support and dedication she received from her own medical team during her long years of treatment and successful recovery.

Carol Truncale’s story leaves us with two of the most contagious messages we know: don’t give up, and remember to give back. If Carol’s story inspires just one more person to make a difference, then its telling here has been well worth while.

Celebrating Human Healing. Visit www.orthoinfo.org or www.aaos.org/75years.

HOW HEALING ONE DOCTOR HELPED A NATION GET BETTER.

Dr. Olabisi Claudius-Cole is one of only 200 doctors in the entire country of Sierra Leone. When arthritis pain prevented her from tending to her patients, the American orthopaedic community stepped in to help. Through donated surgeries and free hip and knee implants, Dr. Claudius-Cole is now back on her feet. And Sierra Leone once again has one of its most precious national treasures – an outcome that has a lot of people feeling better.

Celebrating Human Healing. Visit www.orthoinfo.org or www.aaos.org/75years.

IT WILL TAKE MORE THAN POLIO TO SLOW DOWN DR. JEFFREY GALPIN.

As one of the last American children to contract polio, young Jeffrey Galpin grew up in a world of iron lungs, body casts, and complicated orthopaedic procedures. He put his hours of recovery time to good use – planning a career in medical research aimed at beating the planet’s most dreaded diseases. It came true when Dr. Galpin became the principal investigator in applying the first gene therapy for HIV/AIDS. And he’s just getting started.

Celebrating Human Healing. Visit www.orthoinfo.org or www.aaos.org/75years.

A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT CHANGED ELISABETH MARRA’S LIFE. TODAY, SHE’S MAKING AN IMPACT OF HER OWN.

Two years after Elisabeth Marra sustained serious injuries in a motorcycle crash, her open fractures had failed to heal. Then she heard about an advanced procedure, pioneered by an orthopaedic surgeon, that uses a patient’s own stem cells to stimulate healing. This time, her surgery and subsequent therapy were successful. Her experience inspired her to change her major to a discipline near and dear to her – physical therapy. Sometimes, sudden turns have happy outcomes.

Celebrating Human Healing. Visit www.orthoinfo.org or www.aaos.org/75years.

AS A CHILD, SHE WAS SURROUNDED BY DOCTORS. SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE.

Carol Truncale grew up with scoliosis, or curvature of the spine. She endured many years of treatment during her long road to recovery. The time she spent with her dedicated team of orthopaedic surgeons taught her many things – but mostly how the power of caring can help patients through a difficult healing process. Carol’s way of saying thanks to her orthopaedic team was to join it, and become a nurse herself. That’s Carol, still healing strong.

Celebrating Human Healing. Visit www.orthoinfo.org or www.aaos.org/75years.