In life, not only do events shape our lives, but so do individuals. All people who come and go in our lives either have a negative, or positive impact. Around 2003 was the year my life changed all for the better. I was attending one of the largest Orthopedics meetings in the nation, Current Concepts in Orlando, Florida. On one of my breaks from lecture, I approached a vendor booth which caught my eye. A medical mission groups based out of Los Angeles called Operation Walk. Jeri Ward ran the booth and we sparked up a conversation about the organization. I asked her how I could get involved, and she said I would have to discuss this with Dr. Dorr. Unbeknownst to me, I said, “who is Dr. Dorr.?” Fate is a wonderful thing, and to my good luck, he happened to walk by. Jeri quickly pointed and said, “there he is, go talk with him”.
Dr. Lawrence D. Dorr’s Memorial
When: Jan 10, 2021 12:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Please click this link to join the session.
Webinar ID: 860 8991 2824
Passcode: 715154
Or Telephone:
US: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 9128
International numbers available here.
Lawrence Douglas Dorr M.D. April 13, 1941-December 28, 2020
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.