We Have Arrived!

Abstract

APTA President Ben Massey shared the 2001 Presidential Address with members and other participants during the Opening Plenary at PT 2001: Annual Conference & Exposition of the American Physical Therapy Association, June 20, 2001. As part of Massey's enthusiastic and motivational presentation, he introduced a new 60-second video, “We Live for Moments Like These,” that APTA has developed for members to use as a promotional tool. The video is now available to members at cost and also can be viewed from the APTA Web site at www.apta.org. When I ran for election a little more than a year ago, I did so with pride and passion and a profound commitment to this profession and our Association. I was prepared for the work that would be required of the job, but I was not as prepared for what I would experience in return. I've had the privilege of meeting hundreds of you this past year. And your pride, and your passion, and your commitment have inspired me. I am so proud to be a member of a profession that transforms and restores people's lives. And I am equally proud to be part of an association membership who stands up for the public we serve—and who goes after what we believe in. The images you just viewed [in APTA's new video “We Live for Moments Like These” are extraordinary. And what is perhaps equally extraordinary is that these are the images of everyday physical therapy—from making it possible for a grandmother with debilitating arthritis pain to hold her grandchild to enabling a prima ballerina who has been injured to return to the stage. Yes, any one of you could have been featured in this video for the extraordinary things that you do every single day, that you do with skill and expertise and a unique body of knowledge backed by scientific proof, that you do with heart, and soul, and passion. [Massey BF Jr. 2001 APTA Presidential Address: We have arrived! Phys Ther. 2001;81:1830-1833.]