FOR patients of the University Hospital of the West Indies’ (UHWI) Physiotherapy Department, rehabilitation has meant more than recovering from injury or surgery; it marks the return of independence to their daily lives.

When Dr William Aiken took the stage during the department’s open day on Thursday in a leg cast supported by crutches, he showed up in the capacity of a patient, though he also bore the titles of consultant urologist and head of surgery at UHWI.

“On the 26th of July, I had a little tussle with a croaking lizard, and had severed my left Achilles tendon and had surgery on the 3rd of August to repair it. And as you would know, physiotherapy is a critical part of the rehabilitation process after undergoing an injury like that,” said Aiken, as he chuckled at his misfortune.

He was among other patients who shared their rehabilitation testimonies during the open day which formed part of activities to mark the 2026 World Physiotherapy Week.

For a specialist whose days are dedicated to treating diseases of the urinary tract and male reproductive system, the sudden accident altered Aiken’s routine. However, given the nature of his job, the head surgeon could not stay away from his duties for long. He began occupational rehabilitation, a process designed to return a patient to a functional state within their professional role.

“I reached out to Dr Bennett [director of the physiotherapy department], and she accepted me as a patient with alacrity, and she and her staff have been very kind to me. I have benefited from her expertise. When I come here, I’m treated royally, and I can speak to the facilities that are here; they are second to none…So I can truly say that I’m very proud of this physiotherapy department and what it offers,” said Aiken.

Now back in the operating room, the head surgeon has adapted to his recovery by sitting to rest his leg during procedures, a minor adjustment that allows him to press on with his life’s work.

“I have never met an unpleasant physiotherapist, never. In all the years I’ve been working here, and I’ve been here 30 plus years, physiotherapists are really an important backbone of the services offered in the hospital,” said Aiken.

Opposition spokesperson on health Dr Alfred Dawes also gave high praises to the physiotherapy department, as the greeting he was slated to deliver turned into a testimony.

Consultant urologist and head of surgery at University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) Dr William Aiken shares his experience at the hospital’s Physiotherapy Department open day in St Andrew on Thursday.Renae Osbourne

“For most of my career, I was never really was enthusiastic about physiotherapy. It was [just] another speciality…But then something magically happened that changed my entire outlook on physiotherapy; I turned 40. And every joint in my body had a press conference to announce that they were there,” Dawes said while laughing.

His once active lifestyle derailed by ageing pains, led Dawes to seek rehabilitation at UHWI’s Physiotherapy Department, which, he said, allowed him to pivot, heal, and remain spry.

“It was physiotherapists, some of you in this room, who helped me to get back to normal from the injuries I sustained while trying to be physically active, from my toe all the way up to my neck, literally. So physiotherapy is more than just a discipline adjacent to surgery. After I became a patient and a client, I became the best friend of many physiotherapists… And what I’ve learned could never be taught in any textbook at all,” said Dawes.

He added that a physiotherapist does more than repair torn muscles or broken bones as they give people hope that inspires them to continue living despite injury.

“We have built a health system that is very good at saving lives, but not very good at restoring lives. We [doctors] stabilise the heart, but yet we abandon the patient. The stroke patient survives the night on the ward and then everything that matters afterwards is in your hands. You, the therapist, not in the theatre, not in the pharmacy, [but] on the mat, the parallel bars, six weeks on, six months on, 16 months on…. Medicine adds years to the life, but physiotherapy adds life to the years,” Dawes said.

Minister of National Security Horace Chang sent a pre-recorded message that shared his experience with physiotherapy after undergoing major cardiac surgery.

“I have had the experience of going through triple bypass surgery in the end of October to November 2025. It was successful and I chose to do the cardiac rehab at the University Hospital’s physiotherapy department. I could not have made a better decision. They are professional, courteous, and committed to their jobs. They look after their patients proficiently, irrespective of who they are. Recovery went smoothly, and today I am doing better than I was before surgery,” said Chang.

He congratulated the department on the work they have done over the years, and encouraged the physiotherapists to continue positively impacting ailing Jamaicans who yearn to regain normalcy and autonomy over their lives.

“Dr Bennett and her team have made one of the finest professional units in the country, they deserve every support, and I send my commendations and best wishes to the university’s physiotherapy department,” said Chang.