From Paralysis to Marathoner: How a Hoag spine surgeon got one athlete back in the game

Two decades ago, Beth Sanden suffered her first spinal injury while preparing for the Boston Marathon and the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii.

Falling on a downhill stretch, she landed on her shoulder blades on broken asphalt. The crash rendered her paralyzed and wheelchair bound.

“My spinal cord was like an accordion,” she said. “All smushed together.”

Despite the severity of her injury, Beth defied her doctors’ assumptions that she would never walk again. She took up handcycling and became the first woman to complete marathons on all seven continents and the North Pole via a handcycle.

But in 2021, she faced another hurdle when a car accident in Dana Point caused severe stress fractures in her lower back. The injury sent her from cane to walker and then back to wheelchair.

Five doctors said they couldn’t help her. Then she met Burak M. Ozgur, MD, acclaimed Hoag spine surgeon.

Known for his thorough approach to care and his minimally invasive surgical techniques, Dr. Ozgur said, “I promised her what I promised all my patients—I will give you the time and the patience, and I’ll be honest with you.”

While other neurosurgeons had struggled to uncover the cause of Beth’s pain and debilitation, Dr. Ozgur determined through comprehensive testing that the origin of the problem was her lower back. He recommended a complex surgery that would give her the best chance of regaining her mobility.

“He took a lot of time, and it was obvious that not only did he have the skills, but he also cared about her as a person,” said Beth’s husband, Burt Sanden. “That was beyond what she was used to.”

Just 24 hours after Dr. Ozgur performed her surgery, Beth was walking again. Less than six months later, she finished the Los Angeles Marathon on a handcycle in 2 hours and 27 minutes. Now a USA Triathlon coach and a member of the Challenged Athletes Foundation, Beth is sharing her story to inspire others.

“I want to motivate others. That’s the whole purpose,” she said. “I’m back in the game, and that’s what I really love.”