Operation Walk Los Angeles is delighted to welcome Dr. William T. Long as the newest member of the Board of Directors. Dr. Long brings a wealth of experience as a surgeon and humanitarian who has represented Operation Walk in 10 countries during the past three decades.
Dr. Long and Dr. Lawrence D. Dorr met in the research lab at the original Kerlan Jobe Clinic in 1987, ten year s before Dr. Dorr founded Operation Walk. They began work on a publication, “Functional Recovery Following Non-cemented Total Hip Arthroplasty.” This would be the first of more than 25 publications that they would collaborate on over the next three decades.
Between 1994 and 2004, Dr. Long worked full-time teaching young orthopedic residents and lecturing about orthopedic trauma around the world. During that time, Dr. Dorr was growing and evolving to become a world leader in hip and knee replacement. The two surgeons continued to meet at locations all around the globe to provide free care and teach medical professionals as Operation Walk expanded from one country to more than ten.
In 2004, Dr . Long joined the Dorr Arthritis Institute full- time in a partner ship that would define the successful relationship between a world- leading professor and a worthy apprentice. They both came to under stand that the ability to teach medical professionals is essential to the success of Operation Walk.
The mission of Operation Walk was never to provide those in need with fish. The mission is successful only if it teaches the host country how to fish. Operation Walk per formed the first modern knee replacement in Cuba in 1997. In 2019, Cuba had more than 20 orthopedic surgeons per forming hip and knee replacement operations. Around the world, there are countries that are now able to provide life changing surgery without waiting for Operation Walk to provide free care. This organization has taught medical teams in other countries how to fish.
As Operation Walk moves forward, it is essential that the organization prepares for a smooth passing of the baton. The addition of Dr. William T. Long to the Board provides a solid and trusted leader to keep Operation Walk strong for decades to come. We welcome Dr. William T. Long.