Athletes like Britta Llewellyn keep their bodies strong throughout their careers, knowing that injuries and other wear and tear are risks that come with being a professional. As a professional water skier, Britta knew “that water skiing has a big impact on the body—on the spine—I knew that when I was competing.” After she retired, she consulted with Dr. Bray, whom she had met through Red Bull, her sponsor. They determined that two of her discs needed replacing, and quickly.
Britta had all of her prior surgeries done in Europe, where she knew the doctors and had excellent health care. “But after meeting Dr. Bray,” she says, “why would I go back? I feel in such good hands with him.” From the nurses to the assurances that she was given prior to the surgery, Britta went in “free of fear” knowing that she was in good hands.
Hear the story from Britta herself in this exclusive video.
“It was by far the easiest surgery I’ve ever had in my career,” she says, laughing. She felt almost back to normal after two or three days, a fact she finds remarkable.
Part of the reason patients like Britta choose to have spinal surgeries at DISC is their reputation. With a 98 percent positive patient satisfaction rating and over 6,000 procedures performed, they are the leading care provider for sports injuries. More importantly, the doctors at DISC strive to put their patients at ease. An informed patient, they say, is a relaxed patient.
“I would say to an athlete, go meet Dr. Bray, even if you don’t have an injury just yet,” Britta advises, “because then when something happens and you know already you are in good hands, for an athlete it’s a big deal.” Her trust in him is unparalleled. The word “love,” she says, isn’t used lightly in Europe. But, for this woman, the patient-doctor relationship is a truly special one: “I love Dr. Bray.”
