Pep Rally Honors Amputee-Athlete in Training for The NYC Marathon

Monday, October 18, 2004

New Brunswick, NJ - Staff members at The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (BMSCH) honored amputee-athlete Keith Mann with a pep rally as he prepares to run the New York City Marathon this November.

"When I had my accident, the hospital staff welcomed me as family and treated me with so much love," said Mann. "I greatly appreciate the support they gave me throughout one of the toughest times in my life, and the support they continue to give me as I prepare for the marathon."

Mann, 19, of Plainfield, lost the lower part of his left leg while attempting to imitate a scene from the film "The Matrix" when he was a junior in high school. His leg went through a window, and broken glass came down on his leg. He was hospitalized at BMSCH for over a month.

After reviewing his options, Mann decided amputation was the best choice. A prosthetic leg gave him the best chance at leading the life he had grown accustomed to - a life that included sports. During his senior year of high school, he was a member of the varsity swim and tennis teams.

Now Mann, who is currently a sophomore at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, is in training to participate in the NYC Marathon on November 7.

"While he was here, we got a glimpse of Keith's courage, his strength and his focus," said Trisha Montague, RN, MS, Vice President of the children's hospital. "We saw his endurance and his determination. These will serve him well in the New York City Marathon."

On behalf of the hospital staff, registered nurse Jean Olsen, who cared for Keith during his hospital stay, presented him with a warm-up jacket embroidered with his name and the BMSCH logo that he can wear as he continues to prepare for the marathon.

Members of the staff then joined him on a ceremonial lap around the driveway of the children's hospital as they wished him the best of luck in his goal to complete the NYC Marathon.

About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Selected as one of four hospitals nationwide to offer the world's first self-contained implantable artificial heart, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (www.rwjuh.edu) is a 600-bed academic medical center and the principal hospital of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, NJ. Robert Wood Johnson is an innovative leader in advancing state-of-the-art care in medicine. Its Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, and women's and children's care including The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (www.bmsch.org). The hospital is also a Level 1 Trauma Center and serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness.

The hospital has earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is ranked among the top 50 hospitals in the nation for both heart and heart surgery and respiratory disorders, according to U.S.News & World Report's 2008 ranking of "America's Best Hospitals." The American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer has rated Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital among the nation's best comprehensive cancer centers. The Leapfrog Group rated Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital as one of the 50 exceptional U.S. hospitals, as published in Consumers Digest magazine. Harvard University researchers, in a study commissioned by The Commonwealth Fund, identified Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital as one of the top 10 hospitals in the nation for clinical quality. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is also a recipient of the prestigious Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence for more than 10 consecutive years.

Attention members of the media: For more information on this release, please contact the Department of Public Relations (732) 937-8521.


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