Johnson & Johnson News Release:

Legendary Coach Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski Aims To Inspire Severe Joint Pain Sufferers To Seek Treatment So They Can Return To Helping Causes In Their Communities

Getting Back to Giving Back campaign celebrates and shares the inspirational stories of those who have had joint replacement and returned to helping causes that bring hope and relief to those in need

Photo Caption: Coach K (middle) recognizes (left to right) Keith, Rebekah and Gordon for their dedication to giving back to their community following Total Joint Replacement.  

WARSAW, IN (May 22, 2014) – Today, Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski and DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction* launched Getting Back to Giving Back, an educational and philanthropic campaign that celebrates and shares the stories of individuals who are able to continue to actively give back to their community after joint replacement surgery. This campaign advocates the message that people can continue the things that bring a sense of purpose and meaning to life despite osteoarthritis (OA).

As part of the campaign, Coach K and DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction will honor three community heroes who—like him—have been able to give back after joint replacement surgery. The not-for-profit organizations supported by the local humanitarians each received a one-time $10,000 donation from DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction and their stories are featured on a new website, GettingBacktoGivingBack.com.

This campaign is very personal for Coach K. Several years ago, OA pain put his coaching career at risk and he faced the possibility of curtailing his charitable activities. Coach K worked with his surgeon to address his pain by having both of his hips replaced. Following rehabilitation, Coach K returned to coaching and is now the winningest coach in men’s college basketball history and continues to lend his support to numerous charitable endeavors, particularly the Chicago-based Rory David Deutsch Foundation and his own Emily K Center. Coach K established the Emily K Center in honor of his mother to teach underprivileged students to become leaders in their community.

For Coach K and many baby boomers, one of the benefits of aging is the opportunity to better balance career and family commitments with their desire to carve out time for community involvement. But this time of life is also when many are affected by OA,[1] a painful degenerative joint condition which can impede mobility and stability, and possibly decrease a person’s ability to participate in activities fully. In Coach K’s case, as with many others, he couldn’t be nearly as active, professionally or personally, if he hadn’t undergone hip replacement surgery to treat his OA.

“My joint pain really drained my positive energy and physical strength, but I kept putting off hip replacement,” said Coach K. “I regret waiting so long because surgery and rehabilitation really allowed me to feel better and regain my mobility. Now I can be the coach, husband and grandfather I want to be, as well as continue to donate my time and energy to organizations that give so much to my community. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction to recognize other patients who used their restored mobility and energy following joint replacement surgery to give back to others.” 

Individuals recognized by the Getting Back to Giving Back campaign for their community commitment following joint replacement surgery include Keith, who teaches adaptive sports to individuals with disabilities through SportsNet; Rebekah, a volunteer with Girls on the Run® who teaches life lessons about self-sufficiency and determination to young girls; and Gordon, a hockey enthusiast sharing his love for the sport by coaching inner-city children through Hockey On Your Block.

“Through the Getting Back to Giving Back campaign, we hope to encourage those suffering from osteoarthritis to realize that they don’t have to give up the things that bring a sense of purpose and meaning to their lives because of this disease,” said Andrew Ekdahl, Worldwide President, DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction. “We are thrilled to recognize these humanitarians and Coach K, who are inspiring examples of how joint replacement surgery can help those with chronic joint pain find relief and pursue their passion for helping others.”

For more information about Getting Back to Giving Back and the three honorees, please visit www.GettingBackToGivingBack.com.

Osteoarthritis: Leading Source of Disability
The most frequent cause of severe hip or knee pain is osteoarthritis, a debilitating condition that begins with pain in the affected joint and does not get better with time. If left untreated, osteoarthritis can cause bone deterioration and pose long-term health issues.2 It is estimated that one in every five people in the United States has some form of arthritis and that osteoarthritis is one of the most common reasons a person will need a joint replacement.[2] Hip or knee replacement surgery is an option for people diagnosed with advanced osteoarthritis associated with joint damage, serious limitations in physical mobility and an overall reduced quality of life. People suffering from severe hip or knee pain due to osteoarthritis wait, on average, seven to 11 years before undergoing joint replacement surgery.[3]

* DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction is a division of DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc.

Important Safety Information
The performance of knee and hip replacements depends on age, weight, activity level and other factors. There are potential risks and recovery takes time. People with conditions limiting rehabilitation should not have knee or hip replacement surgery. Only an orthopaedic surgeon can determine if knee or hip replacement is required based on an individual patient's condition.

About DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction
DePuy Synthes Joint Reconstruction, a global leader in hip, knee and shoulder replacement, is part of the DePuy Synthes Companies, the largest provider of orthopaedic and neurological solutions in the world. For more information, visit www.depuysynthes.com.

The third-party trademarks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

[1] Arthritis Foundation. (2008) Osteoarthritis Fact Sheet. http://www.arthritis.org/media/newsroom/Osteoarthritis_Fact_Sheet_from_AF-Final_12-10-09.pdf. Accessed October 24, 2012. 

[2]MMWR 2006;55(40):1089-1092. [Data Source: 2003-2005 NHIS].

[3]DePuy Hip: A&U/Segmentation. Final Report January 2008. Data on file.