BYLINE: Macie Jepson
Newswise — CLEVELAND, OH – A visionary $20 million gift from Dee and Jimmy Haslam will establish the new University Hospitals Haslam Sports Innovation Center led by James E. Voos, MD, Chair, UH Department of Orthopedic Surgery, President-elect of the NFL Physician’s Society and Head Team Physician, Cleveland Browns. The new center will strategically identify, support and invest in the world’s best innovations in sports medicine, providing a catalyst to improve performance, reduce injury risk and promote healing for stronger, healthier professional and recreational athletes.
“Dee and Jimmy Haslam are dedicated to creating impactful change within professional sports and in their communities. We are fortunate to have them as partners as we embark on an unprecedented phase of sports medicine innovation and development,” said Dr. Voos, Executive Director, UH Haslam Sports Innovation Center. “The Haslam Center was created to revolutionize medicine for athletes in professional sports and of all ages and abilities. It will propel technology forward to enhance the health and safety for patients everywhere.”
The UH Haslam Center’s collaborative approach, along with the Haslams’ deep industry relationships and experience as investors in the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks and the MLS’s Columbus Crew, will accelerate progress and bring exposure to new technologies and research that will lead to success in sports across the country.
“The health and well-being of our athletes and our communities is of the utmost importance to us. We are inspired by Dr. Voos and the team he has assembled – his incredible drive and vision to continually innovate, searching for cutting-edge opportunities, while providing world-class care,” said Dee and Jimmy Haslam. “We know the unique opportunity we have to invest in sports medicine, creating new technologies and innovations to improve performance and contribute to the future of sport, while creating healthier athletes and communities. It is a privilege to partner with Dr. Voos and UH in this exciting next chapter.”
Dr. Voos’s innovative research includes creating a return to play assessment after ACL reconstruction using wearable technology. He has led the way in regenerative medicine; University Hospitals Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute is one of the few U.S. institutions to obtain FDA approval to multiply and grow stem cells for arthritis treatment.
Dr. Voos and strategic partners have participated in research and developed innovations including Collamedix which is focused on the development of collagen scaffolds to improve orthopedic procedures such as rotator cuff repair, ACL reconstruction, and Tommy John elbow surgery. Another company is Lazurite which designs medtech devices, and its ArthroFree® System is the first wireless surgical camera with FDA clearance for use in broad endoscopic applications including arthroscopy.
“This transformational investment builds on Dee and Jimmy Haslam’s commitment to the overall health of athletes and to the Northeast Ohio community and puts a national spotlight on the groundbreaking work of Dr. James Voos,” explained Cliff A. Megerian, MD, FACS, University Hospitals CEO, and Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair.
“In so many ways, Dee and Jimmy are champions for Cleveland, the families and schools of this community and athletes around the world,” said John G. Morikis, Chairman, UH Board of Directors and Chairman and CEO, Sherwin-Williams Co. “Their giving and passion will impact generations to come.”
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About James Voos, MD
James Voos, MD, is the Jack and Mary Herrick Distinguished Chair, Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. Additionally he is the visionary of the UH Drusinsky Sports Medicine Institute offering a multidisciplinary sports medicine approach to sports injury prevention and sports performance programs, as well as the most advanced diagnostics, surgical and nonsurgical treatment options and comprehensive rehabilitation services.
About Dee and Jimmy Haslam
Dee and Jimmy Haslam hold the positions of CEO and Chairman, respectively, as the Managing Partners of the Haslam Sports Group (HSG). HSG’s current portfolio includes ownership of the Cleveland Browns, a controlling interest in the Milwaukee Bucks, and the role of investor-operators of the Columbus Crew. HSG explores various investment opportunities within the sports and entertainment industries. Giving back has always been a core family value for Dee and Jimmy. The Haslams are immersed in numerous philanthropic and community endeavors to address the needs of their communities. The Haslams follow their central belief of active engagement through time, effort, strategy, and investment and are leaders for extensive civic initiatives and philanthropic boards. The Haslams’ primary focus is on education, youth sports, health and human services, the arts, parks and public spaces, and social justice, consistently committed to creating sustainable and meaningful change.
About University Hospitals / Cleveland, Ohio Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of more than 21 hospitals (including 5 joint ventures), more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and over 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. The system’s flagship quaternary care, academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Oxford University and the Technion Israel Institute of Technology. The main campus also includes the UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the nation; UH MacDonald Women’s Hospital, Ohio’s only hospital for women; and UH Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. UH is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, with more than 3,000 active clinical trials and research studies underway. UH Cleveland Medical Center is perennially among the highest performers in national ranking surveys, including “America’s Best Hospitals” from U.S. News & World Report. UH is also home to 19 Clinical Care Delivery and Research Institutes. UH is one of the largest employers in Northeast Ohio with more than 30,000 employees. Follow UH on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. For more information, visit UHhospitals.org.