Last month, The Better Way Back and NuVasive held the first NUVA Hike with a Patient event at Torrey Pines State Reserve in San Diego. Throughout the year, shareowners will have the opportunity to meet NuVasive patients, hear their stories, and walk with them, as we host additional hikes.
Shareowners, friends, and family gathered for an energizing hike at Torrey Pines, led by back patient, Marc Goeldner. To kick things off, Marc shared a snapshot of his journey with back pain, surgery, and recovery.
Since 2010, Marc has undergone four surgical spine procedures on both the cervical and lumbar regions of his spine. About a year after his last lumbar laminectomy, many painful symptoms returned with additional numbness and weakness in his left leg. He consulted with several experienced surgeons and was told that he was facing an invasive fusion with a lengthy hospital stay. When a friend recommended that Marc get another opinion, he was surprised and relieved to hear that he was a candidate for a much less invasive solution—the XLIF® procedure. It would be a shorter surgery, and only require three small incisions on his side and back. This was great news to Marc, whose previous operations had left him with lengthy scars on the front and back of his neck, as well as down his lumbar spine.
The hike was an incredible opportunity to celebrate alongside Marc—a year ago he couldn’t stand upright for more than sixty seconds. Marc expressed his heartfelt gratitude to each shareowner for the daily work they do to transform spine surgery for patients like himself.
Click here to learn more about The Better Way Back and their work to provide support and hope to those suffering chronic back, leg, and neck pain.