Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Special Events, Projects, Programs, or Campaigns
Gold
In a remarkable medical milestone, Penn Medicine successfully performed its fifth bilateral hand transplant on Luka Krizanac, a Swiss man whose life changed when a serious childhood infection resulted in the amputation of his arms and legs at age 12. In the fall of 2024, at age 28, Luka received new donor hands. In 2025, for the first time in his life, he bought a cup of coffee by himself.
Luka wanted to share his inspirational journey and express his unwavering faith in modern medicine and trust in Penn Medicine, but he initially hesitated to share his experience publicly. The Penn Medicine Communications team worked very hard to earn his trust and crafted a strategic plan that aligned with all our objectives, creating owned content that drove earned content.
Luka was a present collaborator, deeply involved with narratives crafted and visuals selected. It was essential that the focus was not on his disability but on his resilience. There was a tight time constriction, with the need to coordinate media opportunities aligning with Luka's trip to Philadelphia in June 2025, ensuring that we could maximize his presence and the exposure of his story on this special visit.
What was the most impactful part of your entry?
The most impactful part of this entry is the opportunity to hear from Luka himself. We can help him tell his story, but it’s ultimately his to tell and he does it with the utmost grace and gratitude.
What is one thing you learned from your entry/experience?
We had never worked on a patient story where the patient had such a deep involvement and editorial input in all elements of storytelling. At the same time, he didn’t have the knowledge base to know the planning and process that goes into a multi-faceted storytelling approach. We needed to create a comprehensive but clear and easy-to-understand communications plan so that Luka felt confident in our abilities to embrace his story and present it in line with his intentions.
Contact: Julie Wood
julie.wood@pennmedicine.upenn.edu