An unexpected tumble, a torn ACL

Hannah O’Toole was hitting the slopes with her graduate group friends when all of a sudden, her left knee gave out and she found herself laying in the snow. She’d fully torn her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

“I was a 4th-year Ph.D. candidate and graduate student researcher in the Biomedical Engineering Department at UC Davis,” Hannah says. “I fully tore my left ACL in February 2023 while skiing.”

A personal connection within the UC Davis Health community helped Hannah take the next step in her care journey.

“The chair of our graduate group, Dr. Blaine Christiansen, found out I had torn my ACL and helped connect me with Dr. Cassandra Lee,” she explains. “Dr. Christiansen is part of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and conducts research with Dr. Lee on ACL repair.”

Dr. Lee, an orthopedic surgeon at UC Davis Health, helped Hannah navigate next steps and schedule surgery within eight weeks of her injury. She also provided guidance on how Hannah could safely manage her activity levels and prepare for her surgery during that waiting period without having to miss treasured family events.

“Dr. Lee was instrumental in explaining what I could, should, and shouldn’t do prior to my surgery (including giving me the OK to go on a family trip to Hawaii two weeks after my injury!),” Hannah says.

Meet Hannah’s orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Cassandra Lee

“I felt like she gave me all the information and options, and we got to decide what was best for me, together, rather than her dictating what was going to happen.”—Hannah, patient

A procedure fit for her lifestyle

After reviewing all the available options, Dr. Lee and Hannah decided on a quadriceps tendon graft, a newer ACL reconstruction technique designed to offer strength and durability. The decision was shaped by Hannah’s unique goals and active hobbies.

“We decided to do a quad tendon graft, a newer option for ACL reconstruction because it was best suited for my lifestyle,” she says.

Dr. Lee also took the time to listen closely and prioritize the activities Hannah hoped to return to once healed.

“Dr. Lee knew I probably wouldn’t be skiing again (my choice), but that I wanted to be able to do yoga and teach Pilates, play golf, and perhaps even start riding horses again,” she says.

A tough recovery and a happy return

Recovering from ACL reconstruction was no small feat. Hannah credits a combination of expert care, consistent progress tracking, and unwavering determination for helping her get through it.

“I had great treatment monitoring and a very solid recovery after a big surgery,” she says.

She also emphasizes how challenging the process truly was. Her persistence paid off. Over the next year, she gradually regained the strength and flexibility she needed to return to the activities she has always loved. And thanks to the care she received and the dedication she brought to her recovery, Hannah didn’t just heal, she reawakened passions from years past.

“I have been able to return to all my hobbies and interests, and was also able to start riding horses again after a nearly 10-year hiatus,” she says.

“I have been able to return to all my hobbies and interests, and was also able to start riding horses again after a nearly 10-year hiatus.”—Hannah, patient

Compassionate care

One of the most memorable aspects of her experience, Hannah says, was the way Dr. Lee treated her as a true partner in her own care.

“Dr. Lee was very good about taking my concerns seriously and giving me the option to be involved in my treatment journey,” she says. “I felt like she gave me all the information and options, and we got to decide what was best for me, together, rather than her dictating what was going to happen.”

She also appreciated the personal approach and compassion Dr. Lee brought to every interaction, noting that she “knew that the surgery will be successful, and that Dr. Lee is kind and wants the best for her patients.”

That mindset reflects both Dr. Lee’s approach and the UC Davis Health philosophy as a whole. Care goes beyond treating the injury; it’s a whole-patient approach. Multidisciplinary teams collaborate across departments to develop personalized treatment plans, all guided by compassion, expertise, and a shared commitment to doing what’s best for every patient.

Back to her passions

Today, Hannah is back to researching, teaching, and spending time with the people (and pets) she loves, including her miniature dachshunds Bennie and Teddy. Her research focuses on engineering early-stage disease detection platforms for cancer, sepsis, and Alzheimer’s disease via liquid and breath biopsy, with the goal of improving outcomes for all patients. She approaches her work with the same dedicated focus that guided her recovery.

When asked what inspires her most, the answer is simple.

“I wanted to get back to doing what I love.”

And thanks to a strong recovery and the support of her UC Davis Health care team, that’s exactly what she’s doing.