Before osteoarthritis, I took an active life for granted - diving, flying, flight instructing, skiing/instructing , sailing, cycling and keeping fit. As arthritis progressed, those freedoms gradually slipped away. That's why I took my treatment decision so seriously.
I researched extensively, asked countless questions and made sure I fully understood both the procedure and the people behind it.
My advice to anyone facing a similar decision is simple: do your research, ask questions, and don't settle until you're confident you understand all your options.
In 2019, after careful consideration, I chose ReCerf® for my first hip and travelled to Belgium to meet Dr Koen De Smet. His long-standing experience in hip resurfacing was an important factor in my decision and I travelled to Johannesburg to have the procedure performed by Koen.
The years that followed were everything I had hoped for. I returned to the activities I loved, regained my confidence, and eventually reached the point where I simply stopped thinking about my hip.
It was no longer something that defined my life.
Seven years later, when my other hip required treatment, I found myself facing a similar decision once again. But by then, I had lived with the benefits of my first ReCerf® procedure for seven years.
Returning for my second procedure was unexpectedly emotional. It reminded me just how much that first operation had changed my life, and how grateful I was for the years of mobility, confidence and freedom that had followed. ReCerf®, together with the care and expertise of my surgeon, Dr Koen De Smet, had played such an important part in that journey. With that experience behind me, I felt comfortable choosing ReCerf® for a second time.
Today, twelve months after my second ReCerf® procedure, my focus is no longer on surgery.
It's on life.
Today, my focus is on staying active, rebuilding strength and returning to the activities I enjoy most, including flight instructing, keeping fit, and getting back to skiing and sailing. In short, it's about remaining active and continuing to do the things that make me who I am.
ReCerf® hasn't simply given me a new hip. It has helped me preserve the lifestyle, independence and freedom that matter most to me. For that, I remain enormously grateful to Dr Koen De Smet, the team at the ANCA Clinic in Belgium, MatOrtho, and everyone involved in my care. It has been impressive to see the dedication and perseverance MatOrtho has shown in making the ReCerf® prosthesis available to patients, working closely with experienced hip resurfacing surgeons to bring this important treatment option to more people.
And finally, one unexpected consequence of my visits to Belgium... A lasting addiction to Belgian Hoogstraten strawberries!
