Stryker Teams Up With Jerome Bettis and Fred Funk to Celebrate the Selection of the "Get on the Bus" Contest Winner in New Jersey

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Aug 21, 2018, 09:01 ET

MAHWAH, N.J., Aug. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Stryker's Joint Replacement Division announced the third and final winner of its "Get on the Bus" contests - aimed at encouraging people living with joint pain to see a healthcare professional to learn about treatment options and take the first steps to a healthier lifestyle. With the help of longstanding athlete ambassadors, Professional Football Hall of Famer, Jerome "The Bus" Bettis, and current PGA TOUR Champions Golfer, Fred Funk, Stryker will welcome the final contest winner, Peter Laub, on board its custom bus.

Peter Laub, of Somerset County, NJ prioritized staying active and remaining in shape up until two years ago, when he began experiencing hip pain. For the past two years, Peter says he has walked with a limp due to his hip pain. His son, Ben, entered Peter into Stryker's contest to help encourage his father to seek treatment. Ben's hope is that Fred Funk and Jerome Bettis can help his father understand the importance of starting the conversation with his doctor, so that he can get back to living an active lifestyle.

"I love how Ben is encouraging his father to seek treatment options for his joint pain," said Fred Funk. "I understand how important it is for family members to give the extra push to see the doctor – if my wife hadn't encouraged me to see my orthopedic surgeon to treat my knee pain, my golf career may have ended and, more importantly, I wouldn't be able to keep up with my active family."

The "Get on the Bus" contests were launched earlier this year and inspired by Bring Your Loved One to the Doctor Day, with the goal of rallying people to share why they or their loved ones may need some extra encouragement to go to the doctor to learn about joint health. The previous two contest winners in Pittsburgh, PA and Jacksonville, FL have already been on board the bus and visited their respective doctors to set up a game plan that works best for them.

"I know from experience that if you're dealing with joint pain you might want to tough it out and avoid the doctor, but I believe that you shouldn't live your life in pain," stated Jerome Bettis. "I had a great time with the winner in Pittsburgh, so I'm really excited to get Peter on the bus with us! Hopefully Fred and I can share our stories of how we've developed game plans to manage our joint pain."

"We are thrilled with the results of the 'Get on the Bus' contests and the number of people we have reached with the message of going to the doctor to address joint pain," said Stuart Simpson, president of Stryker's Joint Replacement Division. "We're proud to enable Chris, Carol and Peter to take the first step to see a doctor. We appreciate Fred and Jerome for helping give the winners the extra push to get to the doctor's office to make a plan for their health."

About Stryker
Stryker is one of the world's leading medical technology companies and, together with its customers, is driven to make healthcare better. The company offers innovative products and services in Orthopaedics, Medical and Surgical, and Neurotechnology and Spine that help improve patient and hospital outcomes. More information is available at www.stryker.com.

Jerome Bettis and Fred Funk are paid spokespersons of Stryker, and their statements represent their personal views based on their personal experiences. Jerome Bettis does not have any Stryker implants and his comments do not constitute an endorsement of Stryker products.

All surgery carries risk. See your orthopaedic surgeon to discuss your potential benefits and risks. Not all patients will have the same post-operative recovery and activity level. Individual results vary.

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