Basillo has dedicated his life to farming. Raising corn is all he has ever known. Although he has lived with the deformity of his knees most of his life, two years ago, the pain became unbearable. No longer able to even walk a city block, he was forced to quit working. He depends on his son to continue the family business and to help him travel when necessary. Basilio has been homebound for a year and was desperately searching for an answer to his prayers. To be able to walk free from pain, without the aid of crutches, and to at last get back to his fields.

His son accompanied him to Antigua for screening. While waiting to be approved for surgery, Basilio met another man who had walked in his shoes. Former patient, Rogelio, had received bilateral knee surgery four years ago from Dr. Lawrence Dorr and Dr. Paul Gilbert. Rogelio shared his success and how surgery had changed his life. He also reassured him that our team would take good care of him.

Although Basilio was told that Operation Walk was only doing single knee replacements, the team quickly saw that he needed both knees done in order to walk without the aid of crutches and without pain. Dr. Kumar and his team performed bilateral knee surgery and Basilio found the answer to his prayers.

“I am grateful that God has brought Operation Walk to Guatemala and that I received the gift of two new knees. Thank you.”

Maria Alicia has been suffering from arthritis for several years and has been depending on a walker to move around her home for the past twelve months. During Operation Walk’s most recent visit to Antigua, she received a left knee replacement. Maria Alicia’s recovery progressed rapidly, with her moving from a walker to crutches and finally to a cane. During her physical therapy, Kyle Baldwin, PT, noticed the identifying sticker on the pink cane in her hand. He quickly moved to tell her about OpWalk Angel Winnie Crawford’s story and how she had collected the very cane Maria Alicia was using.

Winnie has been collecting canes, walkers, crutches, and wheelchairs for over sixteen years. She has been a major contributor to Operation Walk LA because she understands what it means to have limited mobility.

We sent Winnie Maria Alicia’s picture and told her the story of her cane and how it was helping Maria Alicia after her knee replacement. Here is Winnie’s reply:

“Thank you, ladies, for all the information regarding your recent trip. I really like to think about you and also see the amazing results of your hard work. Your emails and photos this time were over the top. I did see Kyle B. after his return, so much more first hand info was terrific I will always treasure “meeting ” my new friend, Marie Alicia, Cami. I can share her happiness, thanks to you.

And so, I came home and on my front porch were three crutches.
Next OpWalk mission, here they come. ”

-Winnie Crowley

Arturo is sixty-nine years old and has depended his whole life on farming to support his family. He said that he lacked a formal education when he was growing up, and worked on neighboring farms until he could purchase a small plot of land for his own. Farming is all he has ever known.

Several years ago, Arturo began to have intense pain in his knees. Morning was the worst, making it almost impossible for him to do his chores. He depends on a self-fashioned walking-stick to be able to get around, depending on his son to keep the farm going for the past year.

He checked with local doctors to see what could be done about his knees. They told him that surgery would cost over $20,000 quetzales, which is equivalent to $2,600 US. He felt like getting surgery would be impossible until he met a volunteer at his church who referred him to Operation Walk.

Arturo is eager to recover from surgery so he can step up and work alongside his son on the farm he has worked so hard to build. He is beyond thankful for Operation Walk’s help and for the OPWalk Angel who helped to provide his surgery.

Last year, he lost sight in his right eye, so writing a thank-you to his “Angel” was difficult, but it was a task he needed to complete. Thanking the person who helped to change his life was too important to pass up.

Sometimes life connects you to people you don’t expect to meet. For our first four men receiving knee replacement surgery, that is exactly what happened.

Each of them made the journey to Antigua, Guatemala, for one purpose: to be screened by Operation Walk. Two of them had been there before. Both Clementino and Agusto received a knee replacement in August of 2017. The surgery had helped them maintain their careers and helped them provide for their families, but ultimately was not the complete solution they had been searching for. Each man needed another surgery to give them full mobility and a respite from the pain caused by arthritis.

Hilario and Waldemar were in new territory. They heard Operation Walk provided free joint replacement surgery, but weren’t sure if they would qualify. They each sat in the holding area, waiting to be screened with the question large in their minds: Will I be selected for surgery, and if I am, can I get both knees replaced?

The good news came that each man was selected for surgery and their cases allowed them to be operated on the first day. They were ecstatic, they were grateful, and yet some disappointment lingered. Clementino and Agusto would get the second surgery they had waited four years to receive, but Hilario and Waldemar would only get a single replacement.

All surgeries went well and the four men ended up in our recovery ward, sharing a room and sharing their experiences. Fate has a funny way of placing people together at just the right time. Quickly, they shared their life stories, finding out that they had many things in common. Three of them were farmers and the other man worked the land, cutting timber. They all had family members who had stood by them during difficult times: brothers, spouses, and children. These people had helped to take over their burdens and helped to bring them to Obras Sociales del Santo Hermano Pedro for surgery.

They also shared the desire to recover and get back to their lives. Clementino and Agusto told the other two men how important it was to work hard during physical therapy. Do the exercises recommended by the therapists, listen to the nurses, and walk as much as possible to strengthen the muscles that had long been neglected. That first night, they decided that they would leave the hospital together, less than 24 hours after their surgeries. They practiced throughout the night and were ready for our team the next morning when we returned.

Agusto let his feelings be known that morning when he was waiting for medical clearance to be discharged from the hospital.

“I consider my two surgeries a miracle. It’s hard to know how difficult it is for patients with arthritis. How painful it is to even take a single step. I wish I could see you all every day for the rest of my life to say thank you for giving me back my life. I have had a wonderful experience in the Operating Room and during recovery with you all walking beside me. I give you all my heartfelt thanks.”

Clementino seconded his friend’s thoughts.

“You have given me back my life. You have given all of us back our lives. Thank you for being the answer to my prayers. I will never forget you and hope that one day we will meet again.”

For Waldemar and Hilario, their journey is not yet complete. They are anxious yet optimistic that they will receive their second surgeries within the year. Two other Operation Walk teams will visit Antigua and may offer them the restored mobility they so desperately seek.

As we said goodbye to our first four men, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. We are invested in each patient we serve and to see such commitment and dedication to recovery wasn’t lost on a single volunteer. Buena suerte to each man who passed through our OR and through recovery. We can’t wait to see you again and hear more about your stories.

Miriam, fifty-three, discovered Operation Walk and their mission to relieve joint disease through her mother’s experience in 2011. Miriam brought her mother to Antigua because she was suffering from severe knee pain due to arthritis. She received her first surgery that year and returned in 2013 to have her other knee operated on. Today, Miriam’s mother is doing well at seventy-five and takes care of her daughter and the household, since Miriam has succumbed to the same condition.

Ten years ago, out of the blue, pain struck Miriam in both knees. They were sore, swollen, and stiff, severely limiting her movement. Miriam attempts to help her mother with the household chores, getting up around 5:00 AM. But after several hours, she is so exhausted by her effort and the pain in her knees that she must return to bed to recover.

Miriam says that she had lost all hope, thinking that for the rest of her life she would be a burden to others. Operation Walk came through just when she needed them most.

“I’m really happy about my surgery, because I saw what my mom went through and the results she had. I can’t wait to be able to contribute to my household again.”

She’s looking forward to receiving a second surgery and is hopeful that Operation Walk Pittsburgh will be able to operate on her right knee this fall so she may have the same results as her mother.