Operation Walk

Operation Walk is a team effort:
From patient screening
Pre and Post Op
The Operating Room
Physical Therapy
To Central Processing
Our volunteers work with their colleagues in our partner hospitals around the world to provide the best care for our patients and to .

If you are a patient living in the U.S. and in need of a hip or knee replacement, click on the link to see if you qualify for assistance. Time is growing short to apply!

Happy Labor Day!
Soon after the Labor Day we will close the registration for the 2024 Operation Walk USA program.
While there is still time, check your eligibility and apply at http://operationwalkusa.org/patients/!

This , we honor great American workers of past and present. Celebrating the work that built our nation and the dedication of the people who drive it forward.

Thank you for your endless contributions to our country!

Hello September....

Welcoming you all to a new month and sending a reminder that the newest edition of our newsletter is just around the corner. We're working on some special things for you this month!

Be the first to read all the good news, right from your in-box. Subscribe to our eNewsletter and get the latest news, trip updates, and heartwarming stories from Operation Walk Los Angeles.

To sign up, visit https://operationwalk.org/newsletter/.

“The most precious thing I have to give is my time.” - Silvia Hartmann

Happy Friday friends!

It’s and we're celebrating the alma matters of our volunteers....from the to the , the and : these are just a few of the schools represented on our team. Who ever may be your favorite team, may they come home with a victory!

Tanzania, 2012

"One of my fondest memories was the first day of surgery. I was sitting in the cargo room which was abundant with supplies. The Tanzanian doctors and nurses kept sticking their heads in the room, amazed by all the supplies that would be used on the patients.

Down the hall I could hear the Arusha Lutheran Medical Center staff singing their morning prayers in the chapel. Their voices were beautiful and haunting. It was a very spiritual moment. We had come half way around the world and were the answer to their prayers."

-Jeri Ward

Never forget how a word of kindness or a caring touch, can change someone's life.

Today, let's spread kindness wherever we go...

Together, we can do so much-
Today's takes a look back at the early years of OPWalk. Many of our original volunteers, who paved the way for our growth and success, are still active members today. We thank them for their vision, ingenuity, and dedication. Their hard work has helped us develop into a network of 20 teams that have served over 17,000 patients in 25 countries around the world.

Getting ready for the upcoming week...
So many choices 😅.

Happy Sunday, friends.

We've got our smiles ready to start the day-
hope you do to!

Whatever today brings, embrace it, enjoy it, and celebrate the gifts you are given.

Helping others do what they have only dreamed of...

Occupational Therapist, Victor Medina, helps one of our patients regain his strength after bilateral hip replacement during our visit to Kathmandu, Nepal in 2011

Fresh off our mission to the Philippines, we thought for today's we would highlight a few memories from the first mission in 2001. Thank you Jeri for sharing!

Philippines Feburary, 2001 Vincente Soto Medical Center-
"Two things I remember about the Philippines:
We had a monsoon rain that flooded the post op ward. Dr. John Brodhead wielded a mean push broom along with some others that kept the water from going past the wheels on the beds.
Also, they kept calling Dr. Dorr, Dr. Ward, much to all our amusement"
-Jeri Ward

"Operation Walk gives people who come to see us with only hope, a second chance in life. That a new hip or knee will allow them to return to their homes, get a job, and become a functioning member of society again. This is why I volunteer."
-Julie Anderson RN
Team Leader

Often it's the little details that make all the difference. A shout-out to our hardworking volunteers who take the time to make sure each job is done right, no matter how small.

Changing lives one surgery at a time.

Sometimes a single act can have the biggest impact. Donate today and be a part of the mission to restore mobility to those who need it most.

https://operationwalk.org/donate/

"Courage doesn’t always roar, sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering ‘I will try again tomorrow."
-Mary Anne Radmacher

Today is , a day to cultivate the mindset of determination, motivation and remember those who have faced adversity and persevered.

Our patients are amazing people. In the face of pain, immobility, uncertainty and fear, they rise to the challenge and place their trust in us to help them regain their mobility.

What better way to give a little then celebrate the work of nonprofits around the globe?

Celebrating 28 years of and on . Today we recognize the goals and positive impacts nonprofits have on communities and the world through their awareness, research, and aid. We are both honored and privileged to be among the ranks of these organizations that do so much for those who need it most.

Many thanks to our volunteers around the globe who make our mission possible!

Start off your Friday morning with a "good news" story. Dr. Mimi Cameron tells us about a patient that touched her heart during our latest mission to the . Thank you, Dr. Cameron, for all you do to help us and our friends at WOGO continue to restore mobility to those who need it most.

Brendon Buenaflor (Philippines 2024) - Operation Walk I would like share a story about a patient who really touched me during our mission to General Santos City. His name is Brendon Buenaflor and he just happens to not only be a firefighter but the arm wrestling champion of Mindanao as well. Brendon was shot eleven years ago by an AK rifle in his right...

That time in Nicaragua when our PT's sprung for popsicles for everyone in the ward. We knew we liked that crew Enjoy your Thursday everyone and stay cool😎!

Today's comes from the latest Dr. Lawrence D. Dorr Scholarship Winner, Dr. Kamran Movassaghi. This scholarship founded by long-time supporter and Operation Walk Angel, Paula Paulus, grants fourth-or fifth-year residents in orthopedic surgery, aspiring to specialize in joint arthroplasty, the opportunity to participate in Operation Walk’s international missions.

In Search of the "Why" - Operation Walk Dr. Lawrence D. Dorr Scholarship Winner Dr. Kamran Movassaghi I have spent the last 10 years of my life mostly trying to answer the “how” of medicine. How does the bodywork, fail, and heal? As I became more specialized, my focus turned to understanding bony pathology and its surgical treatment. ...

"The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others." — Mahatma Gandhi

Read our latest blog update and learn how with help from our contacts in the Philippines we made a dream become a reality. Thank you Tony Veneracion, CEO and St. Elizabeth Hospital, Inc. and Manny Pacquiao and the Manny Pacquiao Foundation for your help in restoring mobility in General Santos City.

Mission Complete - Operation Walk A review of the Philippines Lisa Fujimoto Yamaguchi, Team Leader I would like to first thank the phenomenal Operation Walk Philippines team and the St Elizabeth Hospital colleagues for their extraordinary dedication to the patients of General Santos City. This combined team has been the best I have....

A little laugh to start your Sunday Morning.

Have a fantastic day, friends. 😄

"A warm smile is the universal language of kindness."
-William Arthur Ward

Sharing a smile with you this , have a wonderful day, friends 🥰

:

Today we feature three first-time volunteers and their experiences during our latest mission to the Philippines. Thank you Coleen Daughterty RN, Boreum Kim OCS, NCS, and Michelle Riley PA for sharing your time, talents, and heart with both our team and our patients. You are the best. ❤

First Time Volunteers - Operation Walk Volunteer Voices First-time Team Members One of the most exciting parts of the Operation Walk Los Angeles team makeup is being able to introduce new volunteers to the experience of medical missions. These three women have different areas of expertise, but all shared their talents, their hearts, and....

to that very first Operation Walk trip to Havana, Cuba in 1997. What a wonderful journey it has been! Thank you to everyone who has made and continues to make Operation Walk possible!

Today's shoutout goes to our amazing patients who have worked tirelessly in rehabilitation to make a full recovery after surgery.

Their dedication and determination are an inspiration to us all. We're so proud to have been a part of their journey to better health.

"It requires an entire team to take care of our patients. Not only to give them the optimal medical care, but to show them kindness, compassion, and understanding as well."
-Jeri Ward