Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, our Operation Walk chapter, like other Operation Walk chapters, has been anxiously waiting to
be able to travel again and to fulfill our promise to our patients. We have put together a small and diligent team of volunteers who will be traveling to Antigua, Guatemala this month to operate patients in dire need of a knee replacement. We have taken extensive measures to ensure the safety of our patients and team members, as well as our Guatemalan hosts. We’d like to introduce you to some of our team members and hear from them about their experiences with Operation Walk. We are all eagerly counting the days until August 21st!
FROM DR. BRYAN CHAN
“I will be traveling with the Operation Walk Los Angeles team to Guatemala in August as one of the volunteer anesthesiologists. I have been fortunate to work with Dr. Lawrence Dorr and Dr. William Long for many years as the anesthesia provider for their patients. My first experience with Operation Walk was probably my most memorable one. One Saturday in the early/mid 2000’s, we completed 16-18 free joint replacements at Centinela Hospital. I didn’t understand the impact this had at first. The news media was present interviewing patients and members of our team. But the most memorable thing about that was the overwhelming joy and gratitude the patients had.”
FROM DR. MAXINE ANDERSON
“My role in this upcoming Operation Walk Los Angeles trip is Assistant Surgeon. I am a Trauma/ General surgeon normally. I have been volunteering with Operation Walk since April 2019 when we operated in Cuba. I actually won the raffle at the 2018 Gala to be a volunteer for the Cuba mission. My favorite OpWalk memory was the team dinner at the hotel in Cuba, when Dr. Dorr spoke and everyone got a chance to express how they were touched by our experience there. My most rewarding memory was the last day at the hospital, when all the patients were walking and so very happy—nothing but a miracle! I have been on many mission trips before, but this was the most organized mission I have ever experienced. I am happy to be part of the team.”
