Operation Walk may have started 30 years ago, but these young volunteers keep the spirit of giving moving forward. Thank you for helping us to continue to restore mobility into the next decade!

For nearly three years, Westside Neighborhood School alumni Madison Yamaguchi, Haley Ahir, Ethan Chang, and Alex Melendez have supported Operation Walk Los Angeles. As they prepare for the upcoming Philippines mission, they welcomed a new member, Dylan Daniels.

On packing day, the students palletized durable medical equipment (DMEs), including walkers and crutches, and assembled post-operative toiletry bags for patients recovering from hip and knee replacement surgery. These are thoughtful essentials that provide comfort and support during recovery.

This year’s bags feature a custom logo designed by Dylan. The logo incorporates hip and knee elements and an image of a person walking, symbolizing patients taking pain-free steps again. Dylan drew inspiration from the transformative journey of renewed movement and independence.

As we celebrate three decades of life-changing surgeries, it is inspiring to see young leaders step up with compassion, creativity, and commitment. Through their service over the past three years, these students are helping ensure patients receive the support they need. We cannot wait to see what they continue to accomplish and how they will keep making a difference in the years ahead.

At the invitation of Ambassador Marjorie Grant-Fuller, nurses Julie Anderson RN, Paulina Andujo RN and I made a mission pre-trip to Jamaica in mid-January. Ambassador Grant learned about Operation Walk through our medical co-director, Dr. William Long. We were hosted by Mr. Courtney Cephas, who is the Executive Director of the Jamaican National Healthcare Enhancement Foundation. This foundation is charged with enlisting surgical missions to improve the health and well-being of the Jamaican people. 

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Elinor Handlin joined our mission to Tanzania in 2023 as a student volunteer from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Those who remember her will note she was “all in”. She worked tirelessly, doing whatever she was asked and was especially helpful to me with my IT needs. Elinor found our mission inspiring and went back to school to study orthotics. 

Shortly after her return, she was diagnosed with cancer. We kept in touch as she bravely went through exhaustive treatment. 

Elinor recently let me know that she is now cancer-free! She is working through her master’s degree in Orthotics and Prosthetics and hopes to start her own group providing these essential devices and services to underserved populations.

A heartfelt congratulations to Elinor!

Paul K. Gilbert, MD

President, Operation Walk Los Angeles

I am currently a PGY-4 Orthopaedic Surgery resident at LAG+USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, where I train in a high-volume safety-net hospital caring for a diverse and underserved patient population. I received my medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine of USC and completed my undergraduate education at Duke University, where I majored in chemistry. My clinical and research interests center on adult reconstruction and total joint arthroplasty, with a broader focus on improving access to mobility-restoring care.

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The countdown for our mission to General Santos City has begun, and what better way to start preparations than to host a “Counting Day”?

Volunteers came together in January, taking time out of their weekend to help with inventory at our warehouse. Our team took stock of supplies for the OR, Anesthesia, Patient Floor, and Physical Therapy. They took time to count all existing items and began making a list of supplies that will be needed for our return to the Philippines. Surgical trays were sorted, office supplies gathered, and DME was counted and prepared for travel.

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In October, our leadership team, Dr John Kumar, Lisa Fujimoto-Yamaguchi, PA-C, Trish Lindsey, RN, and Eleanor Barrientos, RN, returned to the Philippines for a pre-trip visit in preparation for our 2026 mission. Building on the success of our first mission to General Santos City in 2024, this visit reflected our ongoing commitment to partnership, perseverance, and the legacy of Dr. Lawrence Dorr.

Pre-trip visits are critical to mission preparation, allowing us to secure required invitation and clearance letters from the Department of Health (DOH), the Local Government Unit (LGU), and our host hospital, St Elizabeth Hospital (SEHI), before medical missions can take place.

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From the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of Operation Walk Los Angeles:

Happy New Year! Greetings to you, who represent the OpWalk community and support our mission. The success of Operation Walk Los Angeles has been possible because we are one team. Whether you are a follower on our social media sites, a gracious donor, or a volunteer, together we help to provide the gift of total hip and knee replacement to so many across the globe.

2026 is a landmark year in the history of Operation Walk. This year, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of our first mission. In 1996, our founder, Lawrence Dorr, MD and his team of volunteers took the first steps to embark on a mission to Cuba. The goal was to achieve something that had never been done: provide knee and hip replacements to patients outside of the United States.

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