Orthofix Announces Sponsorship of Olympic Gold Medalist and Spine Patient Laura Wilkinson

LEWISVILLE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Orthofix Medical Inc. (NASDAQ:OFIX), a global medical device company focused on musculoskeletal products and therapies, today announced its sponsorship of Olympic Gold Medalist and Orthofix Spine Patient Laura Wilkinson.

Wilkinson, a three-time Olympian, is currently training for the Tokyo Olympics, now postponed until summer of 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. In one of the most famous upsets in Olympic history, Wilkinson, starting in eighth place and with a broken foot, came from behind to win the 2000 Olympic gold medal in platform diving. After winning the 2004 World Cup and the 2005 World Championships, she became the first woman in history to win all three coveted world titles in platform diving.

In 2017 Wilkinson decided to come out of retirement and started training in earnest for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Unfortunately, cervical disc degeneration brought her plans to an abrupt halt in 2018; years of hitting the water at 35 miles per hour had taken a toll on her spine. Fortunately, Wilkinson’s surgeon performed a successful spine fusion using Orthofix’s comprehensive cervical solutions: an Orthofix cervical plate system to stabilize her spine, Trinity ELITE™ allograft to aid in bone fusion, and a CervicalStim™ device to stimulate bone growth following surgery. Soon, Wilkinson was back diving in the pool, determined to compete at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

“Our goal at Orthofix is to improve the lives of patients, so we are very proud to sponsor Laura on her journey back to Olympic glory,” said Jon Serbousek, Orthofix President and CEO. “She is an incredible athlete with an inspiring history of facing challenges with grace, hard work and determination.”

“I am honored to partner with Orthofix as I train to become a four-time Olympian,” said Wilkinson. “Without my successful spine fusion and recovery, it would have been difficult to be a wife and the mother to four young children, let alone to be back competing as an athlete at a world-class level.”

Wilkinson also relishes the opportunity to educate people about her spine fusion.

“When I first learned that I needed the spinal fusion surgery, I have to admit it was a little scary,” added Wilkinson. “That’s why I started posting about my journey on social media and sharing the different stages I was going through. I wanted people to see that you can overcome these challenges and get your life back. It was important to me to encourage other people who were dealing with cervical disc degeneration and showcase a possible path for recovery.”

About Orthofix

Orthofix Medical Inc. is a global medical device company focused on musculoskeletal products and therapies. The company’s mission is to improve patients' lives by providing superior reconstruction and regenerative musculoskeletal solutions to physicians worldwide. Headquartered in Lewisville, Texas, Orthofix’s spine and orthopedic extremities products are distributed in more than 70 countries via the company's sales representatives and distributors. For more information, please visit www.Orthofix.com.

About Laura Wilkinson

Three-time Olympian Laura Wilkinson won the 2000 Olympic Gold Medal, the 2004 World Cup and the 2005 World Championships, becoming the first woman in history to win all three world titles in platform diving. In addition, she has won 19 U.S. National Titles, been voted by the American public the 2000 U.S. Olympic Spirit Award winner and was nominated for an ESPY award. Wilkinson has also been inducted into the University of Texas Women’s Athletics Hall of Honor, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, the Texas Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame, the World Acrobatics Society Gallery of Legends, and the International Swimming Hall of Fame. She and her husband Eriek are the proud parents of four children. For more information, visit www.LauraWilkinson.com.