For 15 years, William “Willie” E. Brennon (pictured left in his barber's chair) was never late for work. In fact, Willie, who owns Brennon’s Barbershop in Englewood, had a standing offer to all his patrons: “If I got to the shop even one minute past 7 A.M., the first haircut of the day would be free.”

But keeping that offer on the table was becoming ever more difficult for Willie, whose increasing pain was making a full day’s work quite a challenge.

Willie suffered a fracture to his right hip in a car accident in 1953. The injury was never properly treated and resulted in a chronically dislocated hip and a right leg that was nearly three inches shorter than his left. Although Brennon compensated for his condition by using shoe lifts and sitting whenever he could, surgery became Willie’s only option for correcting the years of damage that ravaged his hip.

“Every day, for over 50 years, I lived with pain,” Willie confessed. “It was excruciating. When it got to the point where standing was a problem, I knew I had to do something about it. Dr. Shah was recommended to me as one of the best in the area.”

Dr. Asit K. Shah, MD, PhD, is an orthopedic surgeon at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center who specializes in joint replacement surgery and complex revision surgery of the hip and knee. His fellowship training was done at Massachusetts General Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, one of only two fellowships offering training in minimally invasive solutions to joint replacement.


SURGERY AND REHABILITATION

“When Willie came to my office, it was clear that he needed a hip replacement,” said Dr. Shah. “He had not walked properly for decades due to the extensive damage to his hip and the complications that arose from it. A hip replacement would alleviate his pain and allow him to Willie Brennon takes a seat in the barber’s chair at his
regain a normal gait.”

Willie underwent hip replacement surgery at Englewood Hospital last December. “Willie required a complex primary hip reconstruction,” offered Dr. Shah. “His case was complicated by the fact that the initial injury to his hip was not recognized for so many years.”

Brennon’s surgery was a success. The post-surgery recovery and rehabilitation would be a challenging road, but Brennon was certainly up to it.

Dr. Shah credits a portion of Brennon’s successful rehabilitation to his personality. “Willie is a remarkable patient. He has a naturally good outlook on life. His motivation definitely aided his progress in physical therapy.”

With the arrival of summer, Willie hopes to be back at his shop and taking a few clients each day. As for his offer, “We’re still open at 7 A.M., but I’m not promising I’ll be there that early.”


A TRUE CUT ABOVE

“Everyone comes to Brennon’s,” said longtime client and Englewood resident Eddie Hadden, ESQ, “from famous athletes and entertainers to just regular folks like me who want a good haircut.”

And, people don’t just come to Brennon’s for a trim and shave. To illustrate just how important Brennon’s role is as a neighborhood hub of information and community, one client quipped: “The Record calls here when they’re looking for news.”

Brennon’s has been open for business at 307 W. Palisade Ave. in Englewood since 1962. Many call Willie and his shop vital threads in the community fabric. This is confirmed by the words “40 Plus Years of Community Service” that are painted onto his shop’s window. But Willie’s service to the people extends far beyond the list of barbershop offerings that hang on his wall. He has been known to give free haircuts to those in hospitals and nursing homes, and to utilize his shop to host informational sessions or support groups on men’s health topics such as prostate cancer. Within just a few minutes at Brennon’s, one gets the sense that any time Willie is not at the shop, he is missed. “Sure, it wasn’t quite the same while Willie was out with his surgery, but he had to get the procedure done, or he wouldn’t be able to work at all,” adds Hadden, who is also a board member at the Medical Center. “Willie is, without doubt, someone who is very important to our community.

Eddie Hadden gets a trim from friend Willie Brennon

For a physician referral or for more information about the innovative orthopedic surgery options offered at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center for foot and ankle problems, call 1-877-862-BONE.