When persistent shoulder pain threatened to sideline Damian from his passions, he knew it was time to seek treatment.
An avid outdoorsman, Damian sought the advice of a trusted friend. Damian's friend suggested that he visit UPMC Orthopaedic Care in Williamsport, Pa., in February 2024.
“I had pain in my right shoulder when I would do pushups,” Damian says. “I had already had two rotator cuff surgeries on my left shoulder. A friend of mine went to UPMC in Williamsport for sports medicine. He had Justin Kelchner as a physician assistant and gave him glowing reviews.”
Damian visited Justin Kelchner, PA-C, an orthopaedic sports medicine physician assistant. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam showed a torn rotator cuff, so Justin referred Damian to orthopaedic surgeon Ronald A. Campbell, MD.
“I didn’t think I had a torn rotator cuff,” Damian says. “I figured I just needed a hydrocortisone shot to keep me going. But I had an MRI and boom — it’s torn. I moved on to Dr. Campbell because I needed an operation to repair my rotator cuff.
“I didn't think it was any big deal, but it was worse than my other two tears,” he continues. “It needed five anchors. Three anchors in my rotator and two in my biceps.”
Knowledgeable, Friendly, and Professional Care
From the moment he walked into Dr. Campbell’s office, Damian knew he’d made the right call.
“I had a lot of questions and concerns before the surgery when I met with Dr. Campbell,” he says. “As soon as I met with him, he told me everything I needed to know. I didn’t need to ask a single question. He told me how big the tear was, what the operation would entail, and anything else I needed to know.
“I felt like he was reading my mind,” he continues.
“When I came out of that very first encounter with him, I was certain I made the right decision,” he says. “He’s just a super nice guy and extremely knowledgeable, talented, and professional. He’s the type of guy you’d see at a ballgame.”
The surgery to repair his shoulder injury went well, Damian says. He rarely had to ask questions during recovery because Dr. Campbell had anticipated his concerns.
Damian's team knew he was eager to get back to his active lifestyle, which includes P90X workouts, canoeing, and archery hunting.
“That office is just fantastic,” he says. “From the office staff to the surgical team, pretesting to post-operation and the whole 9 yards, everyone was very good.
“I was very impressed, and I’d go back in a heartbeat and recommend that anyone else go there.”
Back to Doing What He Loves
Damian’s journey with UPMC Orthopaedic Care did more than restore his shoulder function with the rotator cuff repair. It also allowed him to return to the activities he loves within months.
“Now, my arm and shoulder are great,” he says. “I couldn't ask for it to be any better. I’m back to doing anything I want. I just can’t thank the team at UPMC enough for how positive they made my experience.”
UPMC Orthopaedic Care is a nationally recognized leader in orthopaedic patient care, surgical expertise, and outcomes. They collaborate to guide patients with musculoskeletal issues through diagnosis, surgery, rehabilitation, and aftercare.
