Below is a letter written by a concerned child of a parent in need. Her mother, Norma, has a condition that has affected both of her knees, making movement almost impossible.Her daughter Zaily shares the concern of many children, parents, co-workers, and friends who write to us daily about their loved ones—people in need of a miracle. Many thanks to Zaily for sharing her family’s story.
Operation Walk Los Angeles Rising Stars
Over the next few months, we will be sharing updates from young volunteers who, even at a young age, have made a large impact on our organization. This month we learn more about Sarina Parks and her plans after she graduates High School this year.
Thank you, Sarina, for all you have done for OpWalk, and we wish you success in your continuing education.
Next Mission: Cuba 2025
In 1997 Operation Walk was born in Cuba. Dr. Lawrence D. Dorr was inspired by the humanitarian work of Operation Smile, an organization that performs free operations on the faces of children. The names of these charitable organizations are similar but that is where the similarities end.
Volunteer Voices: Memories and Impacts from Peru, 2007
The year was 2007, it was a beautiful sunny day with blue skies and I was on an Operation Walk mission to Lima Peru. Like most mission trips, after the bulk of the work was completed, we were allowed some free time to enjoy the city or surrounding region before we returned home. I decided to meet some friends at the catacombs.
Working Together to Change Lives
Operation Walk is composed of twenty-one chapters across the US, Canada, Ireland and Thailand. Each team secures volunteers with the range of skills needed based on the Operation Walk model and raises its own funds. Operation Walk Los Angeles representatives have trained each team on how to perform a successful Operation Walk mission, ensuring that quality standards and patient care remain consistent across the network.
The Youth Movement Continues
In February, a group of volunteers gathered at the Operation Walk Los Angeles warehouse to clean, organize, and palletize durable medical equipment (DME) for our next mission.
Service Before Self
Image: Dr. Dickey Jones during patient screening-Nicaragua 2015
Thoughts from Veteran Volunteer, Charlie Ward
I volunteered for my first Operation Walk trip after I retired from the military. There in Nicaragua, Dr Dickey Jones, a long-time supporter of OpWalk, took me under his wing and taught me how to support the mission. After the last day of surgery was complete, he encouraged me to get into the business of medicine and pointed me toward a new career as an Orthopedic Rep.
Ozarks Poker Tournament and Raffle Update
Our first Ozarks Poker Tournament was held on October 20, in Nixa, Missouri. Both Charlie and I have been invested in Operation Walk since 2008 and wanted to share the mission of OpWalk LA with our friends and neighbors here in southwestern Missouri.
With the help of two local businessmen, Jeff Yates owner of the Bank Tavern in Billings and Marc Backes owner of The Ozarks Event Center in Nixa, we were able to put together a tournament hosting 30 players, held a Raffle featuring items from Cuba, the host country for our upcoming mission, and raised $6,500 to support two patients through joint replacement surgery.
Student Spotlight
Throughout 2023, we have celebrated the youth movement that is sweeping through Operation Walk Los Angeles. These dedicated students have helped to collect equipment, raise funds, and volunteered their time to make sure that both our missions to the Philippines and our upcoming travels to Havana, Cuba were a success.
This month we celebrate the student volunteers who joined us in the Philippines, Erin Kairies, Ilyana Caceres, Isabella Umali-Grawe, and Sarina Parks. Mrs. Kairies and Ms. Caceres are students at Cornell College and participated in the Dimensions Program which has partnered with Operation Walk since 2005. Ms. Umali-Grawe is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin and on track to pursue a career in medicine. Ms. Parks is a high school senior with compassion and an interest in helping others.
We are featuring two of their first-hand experiences, first by Ms. Kairies and then followed by Ms. Parks with an introduction from Angel and volunteer, Theresa Murphy. Thank you ladies for all of your hard work and dedication to our organization.
In Search of the “Why”
Dr. Lawrence D. Dorr Scholarship Winner
Dr. Kamran Movassaghi
I have spent the last 10 years of my life mostly trying to answer the “how” of medicine. How does the bodywork, fail, and heal? As I became more specialized, my focus turned to understanding bony pathology and its surgical treatment. How do I fix this fracture…How do I perform this surgery? Throughout this journey, it became easy to lose sight of the “why”.
First Time Volunteers
Volunteer Voices
First-time Team Members
One of the most exciting parts of the Operation Walk Los Angeles team makeup is being able to introduce new volunteers to the experience of medical missions. These three women have different areas of expertise, but all shared their talents, their hearts, and dedication to patient care during our visit to the Philippines.
Mission Complete
A review of the Philippines
Lisa Fujimoto Yamaguchi, Team Leader
I would like to first thank the phenomenal Operation Walk Philippines team and the St Elizabeth Hospital colleagues for their extraordinary dedication to the patients of General Santos City. This combined team has been the best I have experienced personally in my 22 years with Operation Walk Los Angeles. With 19 first-time volunteers participating on this mission, we successfully operated on 37 patients and performed 38 joint replacement surgeries. These patients came from near and far. This mission would not have been possible without the exemplary teamwork of each and every team member.