William H Harris, MD

Lifetime Achievement Award Remarks

In the good use of the word, I was proud to be a founding member of this Society at its inception in London in 1976 and of being President of this group at its meeting in Boston.  That meeting was the highlight of my career, but now I am honored beyond belief by this recognition from this society.  I am also humbled beyond words.  I am also particularly humbled because the greatest lifetime achievement in this field clearly must go to John Charnley – the most innovative orthopaedic surgeon of all times.  Without him, we would not be here.

Our responsibility was to further the progress in the field.  And this we have done.  Consider the big 6:

1. Infection
2. Fixation
3. Fatal Pulmonary Emboli
4. Wear and periprosthetic osteolysis
5. Dislocation
6. Accelerated recovery to full function

All of these have been drastically improved, all by one order of magnitude, and some by 2 orders.

Added to this list is the outstanding work of our President, Reinhold Ganz and his followers that has evolved in both understanding and treating the underlying issue, namely the etiology of osteoarthritis of the hip.

It has been a great run.

We have been given three fabulous gifts:

1. The opportunity
2. The motivation
3. The capacity to originate these advances

We must respond to these gifts by the unbounded, relentless pursuit of making it even better.

Deep thanks, again, to all of you for this unique and remarkable honor.