Campaign Updates
- Hillcrest Hospital Breaks Ground on Major Campus Expansion Plan, Unveils Significant Gift
- Campaign for Cleveland Clinic Reaches $1 Billion
- The Race
- KeyCorp and Cleveland Clinic Celebrate Diversity, Minority Scholarship
- Campaign Archives
Campaign Goal
Donations to Date
Gary Baxter Shared Personal Cleveland Clinic Experience
Browns Cornerback Described Rare Injury and Innovative Treatment
Even those in exemplary physical condition sometimes need treatment, as Gary Baxter, Cleveland Brown’s Cornerback, discussed during the luncheon program. He spoke of his personal experience recovering from a serious knee injury at Cleveland Clinic.
“I had a rare injury – and felt pain I’ve never felt in my life,” Mr. Baxter said, as he described how his patellar tendons ruptured while attempting to intercept a football pass, preventing him from extending his knees to walk afterward.
Staying Positive
The injury was severe enough that many questioned not only if he would continue to play professional football, but if he would ever walk again. However, Mr. Baxter, his physicians and his rehabilitation team ignored the naysayers and stayed positive throughout his surgeries and recovery.
Mr. Baxter said, “I came to Cleveland Clinic and they offered the best of everything. I formed a special relationship with doctors, technicians and every person who came to my room.”
Innovative Treatment Approach
Cleveland Clinic Sports Health specialists used an innovative approach to help Mr. Baxter recover by combining traditional physical therapy with weightless environment technology primarily used with NASA astronauts.
“Once I had that machine strapped up, I could see how it was working. Every day, I was so excited to go to rehab,” he said.
Anthony Miniaci, M.D., Mr. Baxter’s surgeon and Executive Director of Cleveland Clinic Sports Health collaborated with Peter Cavanagh, Ph.D., Department Chair, Biomedical Engineering, who was researching a weightless gravity chamber for NASA astronauts. Without gravity, Mr. Baxter was able to simulate walking without having to exert weight on the knees, which could tear the surgery repairs. The result, Dr. Miniaci says, was a quicker recovery.
Supporting Cleveland Clinic
After showing a video about his experience, Gary Baxter told Partners in Philanthropy attendees, “I truly believe in Cleveland Clinic. I want to make a difference, just as someone else gave to Cleveland Clinic and made the difference that helped me.”
One way Mr. Baxter has supported the mission of Cleveland Clinic is by hosting the Second Annual CELEBOWL, a celebrity bowling fundraiser event, to raise money and awareness for the Cleveland Clinic Sports Health Wellness Program through his Gary Baxter Second Line of Defense Foundation. His foundation aims to reduce childhood obesity and promote a healthy lifestyle in youth.
Cleveland Clinic Chief of Staff, Joseph Hahn, M.D., commented after Mr. Baxer’s presentation, “Gary Baxter is a perfect example of perseverance. His determination, combined with the partnership of Dr. Cavanagh and Dr. Miniaci, has been crucial in his recovery. Gary has partnered with the Cleveland Clinic Sports Health Childhood Wellness Program to create healthy initiatives that fight childhood obesity.”