Starting out of the Blocks Fast! We haven’t lost a Step!

It has been over two years since the unexpected passing of Lawrence D. Dorr, MD, founder of Operation Walk. Dr. Dorr founded Operation Walk in 1994 to provide free joint replacements for people in underserved countries around the globe and in the United States. He started a movement with Operation Walk Los Angeles that has grown to over twenty chapters through the United States, Canada, and Ireland. Operation Walk has provided over 15,000 joint replacements to underserved patients.
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Operation Walk Angels started in 2017, when the late Gayle Garner Rossi went on an Operation Walk mission with Dr. Lawrence Dorr (1941-2020) to Antigua, Guatemala. Gayle went along to learn more about how Operation Walk helped people in underserved countries. Gayle, a renown artist, was taken by the beauty of the country and the stories of the people that came to the Hermano Pedro Hospital hoping to be helped. Every person that came to the screening clinic had been praying for a miracle. Hips and knees that had limited mobility and caused pain for years, had the possibility of being operated, and an operation that was unaffordable to all of them suddenly became possible.
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Operation Walk Team Leaders conduct preliminary trips before every Operation Walk mission. Mary Ellen Sieben, RN, has been going on pre-trip and Mission Trips for over 25 years! The amount of time travelling for a pre-trip often exceeds the amount of time in the actual country.

On the pre-trip, the team coordinates surgery plans with the local hospital administrators and doctors. We arrange screening, operating, & recovery rooms, cargo and security, pharmaceuticals, hotels, transportation and meals. In 48 short hours in Tanzania, we are able to establish an ongoing relationship between Tanzanians and Americans. We build trust and commitment to helping the good people of Tanzania. We agree that the mission will happen.

Under the leadership of Dr. Paul Gilbert and the experience of Mary Ellen Sieben, Operation Walk Los Angeles is excited to return to Tanzania!
On August 11-18, 2023, our 50-person team of doctors, nurses, physical therapists and volunteers will provide FREE hip and knee replacements to ~50 Tanzanians. Since Covid, the Tanzanian doctors have not been able to perform any hip or knee replacement surgeries. NONE! These life changing surgeries are long overdue, and your support is greatly appreciated.

By Dr. John Kumar, Orthopedic Surgeon @ Kaiser Permanente, Downey
Operation Walk Board Member & Team Surgeon

Q:I was advised to get a hip/ knee replacement- how long will the implant last? 

A:You should expect the current implants to last 20 years or more.

Q:How do I know WHEN I need to get a joint replaced? 

A:Consider a joint replacement when your pain is limiting your ability to function on a day-to-day basis. If you have arthritis, find yourself avoiding activities because of pain, and no other treatments are working you should consider joint replacement surgery.

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Small acts can make a great impact in both our mission to #restoremobility and in life. Many thanks to Lisa Fujimoto and her daughter, Madison, for sharing this story with us!

“My daughter, Madison’s basketball team, the Venice Ravens, joined together to assemble 60 post-op bags this past weekend for patients in Tanzania. I personalized the canvas bags by ironing on the OpWalk logo. The girls were in charge of securing the toiletry items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotion, shampoo, and conditioner. Dr Paul and Cindy Gilbert took time out of their busy schedule to do a special zoom session to thank the girls, talk to them about Operation Walk and explain our mission to restore mobility around the world. The girls will also help pack on Cargo packing day!”

-Lisa Fujimoto
Physician Assistant and long-time volunteer

There’s still time to make a tax-deductible donation to help Operation Walk reach its 2022 goal of $500,000. When this goal is achieved, your donations will cover the full cost of our 2023 mission trip to Tanzania.

Please Remember Operation Walk in your end of year charitable contributions. Donate now!

Questions? Contact Marion@operationwalk.org

Thank you so much for your help to #restoremobility around the world. We couldn’t do it without you!

By Cami Ward, Social Media Coordinator

What we do in life, we often do for our children.

This was 34-year-old Yasmany Arcia’s motivation to seek help. Yasmany works as a rancher and for the past three years, he’s been unable to fully tend to his ranch because of the piercing pain in his right hip. A typical day has him on horseback for hours and recently he hasn’t been able to ride. Not being able to ride, tend to his cattle, and take care of his ranch has been a great setback. His hip greatly affected his sleep. Due to the pain, it was difficult to lie down and rest, which is crucial do being able to perform his duties on the ranch. The worst part to Yasmany was that he was unable to play with his little girl. At age five, Astri didn’t understand why her father couldn’t play with her and was in constant pain. Desperate, he looked to Operation Walk for help.
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By Jeri Ward, RN

Question: How do I know when I need to see a doctor regarding a hip/knee replacement?

Answer: Joint pain becomes more common as we become more active and with age. If you have hip or knee pain, there are steps you can take to help resolve it. After taking these steps, if there is no improvement, you should see an orthopedic surgeon for an evaluation.

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Hello! My name is Marion, and I will be working in an administrative capacity with Operation Walk answering phones, maintaining the office paperwork, and taking donations. I have been working in a CPA office for the past six years where I continue to work part-time.
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Operation Walk Los Angeles is excited to welcome Ava Baldwin to our team as our new Coordinator. She will ensure the successful communication between the Board Members, the volunteer teams, the donors, and the hospital staff and coordinators both at home and abroad.
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It is with great pleasure that I assume the role of President of the Board for the Los Angeles Chapter of Operation Walk. We continue with a solid and dedicated Board. The passing of Dr. Lawrence Dorr, our founder, and the pandemic present us with the challenge of keeping the passion. I can tell you with this Board, all our volunteers and you, this is not a problem.
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