Wilsons Give $1 Million to UB Orthopaedics

The gift from the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation will support research and educational programs, with a focus on further enhancing the training of the five orthopaedic residents and two sports medicine fellows who rotate through the department each year.

“This generous gift from Mr. and Mrs. Wilson means the difference between a good program and an exceptional one for our sports medicine residents and fellows here at UB,” said John M. Marzo, MD, clinical associate professor of orthopaedics at UB and Buffalo Bills medical director since 1991.

“I speak for the other team physicians and the entire orthopaedics and sports medicine department when I say that this donation is invaluable to our efforts. We are extremely grateful.”

The department will use the gift to:

• purchase an arthroscopy simulator and other equipment for its arthroscopy lab
• hire a sports medicine clinical research coordinator to oversee major research studies
• sponsor the Buffalo Bills Sports Medicine Symposium, which brings visiting professors to the university for lectures and workshops twice a year

The gift also will enable UB orthopaedic faculty to continue a prospective clinical study of the utility of chondroplasty in the knee, as well as to continue their internationally recognized research on concussions and biomechanics.

Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Demetrius Bell, who underwent cartilage transplant surgery in 2009, credits Marzo with saving his career.

“These UB doctors are so important to all athletes, on a daily basis,” said Bell, who joined UB President Satish Tripathi at the Sept. 20 UB news conference where Mary Wilson announced the gift.

“Thanks to Dr. Marzo, I am recovered again and feeling strong. The sky’s the limit.”