In Memoriam

Perspective PerspectiveIn Memoriam

Freddie Fu, MD

BY NANCY KENNEDY

Pioneering orthopedic surgeon Freddie Fu, MD, died on September 24, 2021, surrounded by his loving family. Acclaimed throughout the world and cherished in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Dr. Fu founded UPMC’s world-renowned sports medicine program, served as long-time chairman of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine’s Department of Orthopedic Surgery and as head team physician for Pitt’s Department of Athletics. He was recognized worldwide for his innovative research and teaching, leading to many clinical advancements in sports medicine and orthopedic care, particularly in treating knee injuries. Throughout his life and career, Dr. Fu worked passionately to always set the bar higher for his local, national and international medical/surgical colleagues, thousands of medical students, surgical residents and fellows who came to Pittsburgh to learn from the best, and most of all, for his tens of thousands of patients - elite, professional and amateur athletes from around the globe as well as non-athletes from around the corner who sought Dr. Fu’s expert care.

Dr. Fu performed over 20,000 knee surgeries and saved the careers of many famous athletes, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the Swedish soccer player who is considered one of that sports greatest players of all time. Ibrahimovic credits Dr. Fu with saving his career following a ruptured ACL in 2017. Following Dr. Fu’s death, Ibrahimovic tweeted, “Freddie Fu gave me a second chance in my career. I’m still on top just because of him. I owe him everything. Thank you Freddie Fu, rest in peace.”

For Matt Langton, Dr. Fu was much more than a top-notch orthopedic surgeon. He was an inspiration and the restorer of a boyhood dream.

In the summer of 2000, Matt was about to begin his freshman year at Mt. Lebanon High School, where he was set to join the soccer team. Matt had been playing competitive soccer since age 12 and was passionate about the sport. But he began having excruciating pain in his leg when he tried to run. An orthopedic surgeon told Matt and his parents that Matt needed surgery on his knee but he was still growing. The growth plates in his leg were moving and nothing could be done in the short term. Matt would have to wait three or four years before he could have surgery. There would be no soccer for Matt for a long time. The news was a crushing blow. “Soccer was everything to me,” Matt says. “All I wanted was to play on that team. I went home and sobbed.”

His parents knew what was at stake for their son. They managed to get an appointment for Matt with Dr. Fu. Matt recalls that event with vivid clarity. “We went to the UPMC Sports Facility, and just walking in there was amazing. There were big photographs of famous athletes who had been treated by Dr. Fu. He explained that a fracture on my kneecap had caused a bone chip. He told me, ‘I’ll just remove the chipped bone, we’ll get you to PT to restore your muscles and you’ll be back to playing in three months. You can run.’ He made it simple and easy.”

Matt’s surgery was a success, he had no further knee problems and he went on to play competitive soccer for years. After playing for Mt. Lebanon, he went on to Division 1 Soccer at the University of Pittsburgh. In 2008-2009, he played for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Matt credits Dr. Fu for changing his life. “Dr. Fu had a profound influence on me. The trajectory of my life would have been so different if not for him. Sports were my life and he understood that. I was so fortunate that I was able to see him. Dr. Fu gave me back my future and restored my hope.”

Matt is 35 now and still plays soccer. His passion for sports led him to create a non-profit soccer organization to teach children the benefits of sports. “Sports create a positive environment for learning teamwork, respect, discipline and making friends. I love soccer for the creativity and teamwork; soccer is the world’s game; it connects people across cultures. Soccer has meant everything to me, and I am forever grateful to Dr. Fu for restoring my dream.”

Dr. Fu was the David Silver Professor, Division of Sports Medicine, distinguished service professor, and chair, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; head team physician, Department of Athletics; professor of physical therapy, School of Health and

Dr. Fu

Continued on page 298

ACMS Bulletin / October 2021

297

Perspective In Memoriam

From page 297 –––––––––––––––––––Rehab Sciences; professor of health and physical activity, School of Education; and professor of mechanical engineering, Swanson School of Engineering, University of Pittsburgh. His research interests focused on clinical outcomes following sports-related injuries, as well as orthopedic bioengineering. He pioneered numerous innovative arthroscopic surgical techniques to treat injuries to the knee and shoulder and has performed extensive knee joint research in biomechanics, in vivo kinematics, comparative anatomy, and stem cell and regenerative medicine involving the knee. He published over 600 peer-reviewed articles, 173 book chapters and 30 major textbooks on the management of sports injuries.

Dr. Fu was recently awarded the John G. Krah Executive Leadership Award from the Allegheny County Medical Society Foundation. This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exemplary leadership and advocacy for physicians. Dr. Fu was nominated for this award by Mark A. Goodman, MD, who credits Dr. Fu’s superlative leadership as orthopedic department chair for advancing orthopedic surgery and transforming sports medicine in Pittsburgh. “Dr. Fu founded the Department of Sports Medicine in 1986, and his leadership and clinical innovation have brought international attention to Pittsburgh,” Dr. Goodman states. “Thanks to his pioneering leadership, Pittsburgh has become a world leader in sports medicine and concussion care.” In 2018, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the advancement of sports medicine, the UPMC sports medicine facility was renamed in his honor, becoming the Freddie Fu Sports Medicine Center of the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.

An ardent proponent and supporter of diversity in medicine, Dr. Fu developed one of the most ethnically and gender-diverse academic and clinical departments in the country. He had an enormous impact on the entire western Pennsylvania region as a deeply devoted and enthusiastic community ambassador, actively serving on the boards of numerous non-profit organizations and life-enriching initiatives for more than 30 years.

A native of Hong Kong, Dr. Fu was a 1974 graduate of Dartmouth University. He attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He completed his residency in orthopedic surgery and a fellowship in orthopedic surgery at UPMC.

Dr. Fu was a leader in the Chinese American community in Pittsburgh; with his wife Hilda, he served as the parade Grand Marshall for the annual New Year’s Parade. He also supported the work of Luminati, the non-profit that Hilda founded, that provides activities to inspire innovation and community engagement among young people.

Ms. Kennedy is a communications consultant for ACMS. She can be reached at nkennedy@acms.org.

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