A Fresh Start

Every New Year, many of us take stock of our lives and make resolutions to live differently. We see January 1^st as an opportunity for a fresh start. Whether it’s the chance to renew a friendship, correct a mistake, or take an opportunity that we may have previously missed, sometimes the second chances we’re given can make an incredible difference in our lives. So in honor of the New Year and all the promise it holds, I decided to make this post a highlight of some fresh starts made possible through medical device innovations.

A few weeks ago, I shared the story of C.J. Howard, an athlete whose leg was amputated because of an osteosarcoma but was able to pursue his passion for rock climbing after a friend helped him design a new prosthetic leg. Ex-Marine Sgt. Keith Zeier faced similar struggles after losing his leg due to injuries from an IED explosion in Iraq, and now he plans to climb Mt. Washington (New Hampshire) with the aid of a new custom prosthesis as part of a larger effort to raise awareness for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

Deb’s niece, Riley, was the recipient of a pacemaker when she was one year old, and six years later she is playing and enjoying life to its fullest. Gary Shaw, who works as a professional Santa Claus every Christmas season, was fitted with a LifeVest in December after finding out he’d had at least one “minor” heart attack. Two days later, his heart went into ventricular fibrillation and the device saved his life.

The medical device industry is in the business of giving second chances and improving people’s lives, and I’m thankful to be a small part of it. I hope you’re encouraged by these stories. Whatever 2013 holds, let’s use the opportunities we’re given to make a positive difference in the lives of those around us.

Happy New Year, from all of us at RQS!

-KB