A Manhattan hospital has been named as a top-level trauma center - a designation that promises quicker treatment for many New Yorkers with catastrophic injuries. Health Reporter Erin Billups takes a look at how the new designation kept one New Yorker walking.

Cherie Marcus was waiting to cross Central Park West at 81st Street when a speeding car plowed into a taxi, and the cab slammed into her.

"It's probably one of the most frightening things I'll have in my memory. Of just this car coming towards me and my thought was I have to get out of the way, but obviously I didn't do that quickly enough," she recalls.

Marcus was whisked to Mount Sinai St. Luke's hospital. Its trauma team quickly went to work. Orthopedic Trauma Chief David Forsh pieced her legs together with titanium plates. Plastic surgeon Tomer Avraham moved fat and tissue from her thighs to reconstruct parts of her legs.

"I told her that in my mind she had a 50/50 shot of leaving the hospital with at least one amputation. Because it's just that bad of an injury," says Avraham.

Just over sixth months and nine surgeries later Marcus is walking.

Her doctors say it was crucial that she was brought to their trauma center so quickly.

"I'm very lucky, that it was what, like 35 blocks away," says Marcus.

Fortunately for Marcus St. Lukes was half the distance of the other severe adult trauma center in Manhattan - city-owned Bellevue Hospital.

Bellevue is a level-one center, the highest designation by ACS, the American College of Surgeons.

St. Lukes won its trauma center status last year. It has Bellevue's capabilities, but is a level two center, because it sees fewer patients.

It's only in the last few years though that St. Luke's has beefed up its staff, becoming a premiere destination for some of the most complex trauma cases. 

"Over 80 percent of the patients that present to any emergency room or institution are going to have some degree of musculoskeletal injury. So it's important to have someone appropriately trained and staffed, readily available to help take care of those patients," notes Forsh.

Unlike a regular ER, these centers have a trauma surgeon and team in the building 24/7. 

Orthopedic and neuro-surgeons are always on call, ready to operate within 30 minutes.

Each borough has at least one top level trauma center. With St. Lukes, Manhattan now has two.

"It improves the quality of care, the timeliness of care for all those that are in our area," says Forsh.