Lawrence Douglas Dorr, M.D. passed away peacefully December 28, 2020, at 1:10 AM. He was 79 years old. Dr. Dorr was born in Storm Lake, IA to Everett and Evelyn Dorr. He spent his early life in Iowa- something that made him very proud. He attended Theodore Roosevelt High School in Des Moines and Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, IA. He met the love of his life, Marilyn Dorr, at the “Airliner” in Iowa City and they were married in Iowa City, IA in 1966. Larry and Marilyn built a happy and successful life while he attended Graduate school (Pharmacology) and then Medical School at University of Iowa. He served his Internship at LAC+USC Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA.
A Message From Mary Ellen Sieben, OR Director
– Mary Ellen Sieben, OR Director. Operation Walk Los Angeles
One of the many things I loved about Dr. Dorr was his leadership. He had many ideas about patient care, surgical techniques, pain control, implant design and giving back. Then he built a team whom he helped guide to implement these ideas and have them come to fruition.
He had the utmost respect for other healthcare professionals- true, you had to earn it, but once you had it, you had the autonomy to do your job, which let him do his job. He was the type of leader you absolutely wanted to do your best for and everyone on the team strived for that. I think you can see this in his patient outcomes, the number of excellent surgeons he sent out into the world, and the creation of Operation Walk.
Though his passing is so very sad, I know in my heart that he is so proud of all the strong team leaders he mentored to carry on a seek improvement in joint replacement – and we will!
Operation Walk Founder, Dr. Lawrence Dorr, Will Forever Be Remembered
Jeri Ward, Executive Director. Operation Walk Los Angeles
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Operation Walk Founder Dr. Lawrence Dorr. There will be many tributes to him over the coming months, but I would like to take a moment at the end of a most difficult year to tell you about Dr. Dorr, “The Man”.
I met him in 1983 when he joined Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedics in Inglewood, CA. I was a new R.N. at Centinela Hospital. His reputation preceded him. It was drilled into us that he was a powerful joint replacement surgeon, and that he was a tough task master. He wanted everything to be just great for his patients. I heard him before I saw him. His booming laugh echoed the halls as he exited the elevator and walked onto the ward with Dr. Clarence Shields. He came around and met all the nurses and Physical Therapists, giving us ideas on what his vision was for developing a joint replacement program.
Cuban Orthopedics Mourn The Death Of Dr. Lawrence D. Dorr
– By Dr. Roberto Balsameda
The Board of Directors and the Members of the Cuban Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology mourn the death on the night of December 27th, of the eminent orthopedic surgeon Dr. Lawrence Douglas Dorr, MD, in the city of Los Angeles, California.
It was in this city where he developed his professional activity and stood out as an organizer of arthritis and osteoarthritis surgery, treating incapacitating gait conditions.
The Comedy And Angst Of Packing
Getting ready for an Operation Walk mission involves a lot of behind the scenes work. First, about 100 surgical trays must be transported from the warehouse to the sterilizers to be washed, wrapped and sterilized. Each tray weighs between 10-50 pounds. Once sterile, they are wrapped in two additional layers of heavy plastic, transported back to the warehouse, packed in sturdy plastic tubs and palletized for shipping. We also have a packing day for the physical therapists to pack wheelchairs, crutches, walkers and canes. Laundry is done; scrubs and towels washed and packed. A Costco run is done for paper towels, toilet paper, snacks and garbage bags.
Operation Walk Teams
Did you know that Operation Walk has grown to 21 teams? As the founder of Operation Walk, Dr. Lawrence Dorr helps new teams to develop by providing guidance from the experienced Los Angeles team. First, each new team undergoes a 5-6 hour introductory lecture that covers everything from fund-raising, starting a non-profit 501(c)(3), using the Operation Walk name and logo, forming a qualified team, procuring supplies and implants, to social media. Surgeons starting a new team are taken on an Operation Walk mission so they can understand the scope of involvement and commitment needed to support their own team. Then a location is selected and the team leaders from the new site work with the Los Angeles team leaders as they put together their first mission.
Messages Of Gratitude
When we traveled to Havana, Cuba, in November of 2019, we had no idea that a whole year would go by without us being able to travel and perform life-changing operations. In the month of giving thanks, patients Teresita and Pavel messaged us to let us know how they are doing post-surgery:
“We do not forget you, we follow on Facebook everything you do and we share it with pride. You are always present in our thoughts with a very important place in our hearts. You just celebrated Thanksgiving, which gives us one more opportunity to thank you for what you do for humanity. I am already at one year after my operation and I am very happy. A big hug for you and the dedicated team of doctors, nurses, physiologists, and all the staff.
Hugs and kisses.”Teresita Fernandez
Meet Our Board: Richard “Dickey” Jones, M.D.
Dr. Richard “Dickey” Jones was a football letterman for the Florida Gators and was Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated with Alpha Omega Alpha distinction from the University of Florida College of Medicine. Following residency at Parkland and UT Southwestern Dallas Texas, Dr. Jones did a fellowship in joint reconstruction at Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry, England and acted as Chief of Orthopedic Surgery for the U.S. Army at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. He served as Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Dallas V. A. Hospital for 35 years.
He was Chief of Joint Restoration at Orthopedic Specialists, and continues as Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He has published extensively on joint reconstructive issues. He also holds a number of patents for total knee revision systems and, notably, for the first off-the-shelf orthotics designed to replace plaster casts.
Operation Walk Teams Send Donation To Help Hurricane Eta Victims In Honduras
These past nine months have been hard on everyone and our Operation Walk teams are no exception. Teams had mission trips around the globe planned for 2020 and due to travel restrictions and the COVID-19 pandemic those plans were put on hold. Hundreds of patients anxiously awaiting hip and knee replacement surgery were left in limbo.
Although we cannot travel, our teams are still connected to our partner hospitals, colleagues, and former patients. We stay in contact with them, staying updated on the latest conditions and events in their communities. Last week we monitored the path of Hurricane Eta and watched as it brought devastation to many Central American countries.
Annual Fundraiser Update
One year ago we were leaving for an Operation Walk mission to Havana, Cuba. The mission was two-fold, first to operate over 50 patients at a hospital that was new to us, and secondly to support our new team from Albany, NY on their first mission. Everything went well, as the new team surpassed their goal and made plans to return to Cuba in November of 2020.
Greetings From Our Patients
Social media is a terrific resource for us to stay in touch with our patients all over the world. This month we received great updates from longtime as well as recent patients. They are happy, healthy, and mobile!