Our People
9/11 - We Will Never Forget
The question of where you were when the planes hit the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, is still being asked 20 years later even though one fourth of the U.S. population was not yet born. For those of us old enough to remember, and certainly close enough to personalize it, WE WILL NEVER FORGET. At the time, I was just about 12 years into my career in the healthcare industry focused on regenerative medicine and was a general manager of the business. As the realization of the catastrophe began to sink in, our first priority was to account for our sales representatives near the World Trade Center. Thankfully, all were safe.
I also vividly remember rushing home from work as the school buses were just arriving in our neighborhood. With our proximity to New York City and many commuters, the school administration had the foresight to put a teacher on each bus to make sure someone was home to collect our children. I hugged my family and spent the next hours and days glued to the news, in shock and disbelief like the rest of our country. We found solace at our local church where we paid our respects to those who so tragically lost their lives and prayed for first responders and survivors.
In 2001, Integra® Dermal Regeneration Template (IDRT) had been on the U.S. market for just five years and was one of my core product responsibilities. While there was still a steep learning curve for surgeons using IDRT for life-threatening burns, we had established good communication lines with burn centers in the New York metro area. Following this horrific event, we felt compelled to help in any way that we could. We reached out to offer IDRT to the hospitals with 9/11 survivors.
I still recall one of our surgeons sharing how he had to be airlifted by a military helicopter from New Jersey to a hospital in New York to treat burn victims. Later, a news story would emerge about 9/11 survivor, Elaine Duch, who was on the 88th floor of the first tower when it was hit. She suffered total body surface area (TBSA) burns over 70% of her body. After several months of treatment, she was being discharged from the hospital. It was incredibly humbling to learn that our customers had our technology as an option in treating nine patients, including Elaine. Similarly, we also did outreach in Washington, D.C., and were able to provide IDRT to customers treating those injured in the Pentagon attack.
This past March marked 25 years since the FDA approval of IDRT for the treatment of life-threatening burns. I am eternally grateful to Dr. Richard Caruso, whose incredible vision resulted in this FDA approval and to the late Dr. John Burke and Dr. Ioannis Yannas, the inventors of Integra Artificial Skin, whose innovation helped treat survivors of this unthinkable tragedy. I am also thankful every day for my family, for the relationships I have forged over the years, and for this product that truly made a difference on this day and more.
On this 20th anniversary, please join me in honoring and paying tribute to the victims and heroes of the 9/11 attacks and keeping their families and survivors close in our heart.
WE WILL NEVER FORGET.
Tom Tarca, VP, Professional Education, Regenerative Products