Operation Walk

This is number four in what I hope will be on ongoing crusade to help us get back on track with knowing and appreciating our full potentials as the giving, honorable, loving human beings most are in reality.
Something most media's and political extremists would apparently love us to forget.



Another inspirational story about a doctor helping people get back on their feet again. They're in constant pain, but like many Americans they can't afford to pay for the care they need. That’s where one doctor and his doctor friends come in. They're making a difference in a lot of lives.
These orthopedic surgeons do more than fix bones for a living. For years, Operation Walk, the charity Lawrence D Door MD founded, has provided free surgeries for thousands of vulnerable people around the globe. Now with tough economic times in this country, Dr. Dorr is bringing his charity home. During a recent two-day span, he and 60 other orthopedic surgeons operated on uninsured patients, replacing their bad hips and knees. These were people who had lost all hope for their tomorrows until he came along.

Operation Walk was started in 1995 by Lawrence D. Dorr, M.D. in Los Angeles CA.
Dr. Dorr is one of the leading joint replacement surgeons in the United States. On a teaching trip to Russia, Dr. Dorr had the idea that one of the best ways to teach physicians was to actually demonstrate the surgery. Dr. Dorr put together a team of surgeons, internal medicine doctors, anesthesiologists, nurses, and physical therapists and planned his first Operation Walk trip to Havana, Cuba. The connection was made through a former patient, Mr. Buddy Litten, and the program took its first step. The team spent eight months getting all of the implants, medications, surgical supplies, and postoperative supplies ready to be transported to Havana. The first trip was a success with 45 joints operated in a 3-day period. It was a very rewarding experience for the team, and of course, everyone was full of enthusiasm to plan the next trip. Over the next 10 years, 2 Operation Walk teams operated 6 times in Cuba, helping over 250 patients.
The entire medical team volunteers their time. Physicians, nurses, physical therapists, anesthesiologists, internists, and Orthopedic surgeons.
While on location the team educates the local medical community on advanced treatments and techniques.
Emphasis is placed on promoting the importance of preoperative planning, after care, and rehabilitation.
Medical supplies and equipment are provided through donations.
Operation Walk was founded in 1994 and has operated on over 2500 patients in ten countries In Mar. 2000, Dec. 2001, Nov. 2002, Mar. 2004, Jun. 2005, Nov. 2006 and Nov. 2007.
The Operation Walk team donated its services to the Los Angeles community, promoting the importance of preoperative planning, after care, and rehabilitation.
Operation Walk plans up to four international medical missions a year.
To-date, teams have provided surgeries and education in Russia, Nepal, China, Cuba, the
Philippines, Nicaragua, Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador and Panama.

Hospital charges for one surgical replacement:
Hip would equal $117,500
Average cost for 30 replacements of either hip or knee (per mission trip):
Would be greater than 3 million dollars

Volunteer time donated (per mission trip):
One medical team’s time donated per mission trip would equal $115,320
Physician’s time donated per trip would equal $300,000

So the next time you think all Doctors are money hungry, greedy, selfish examples of humanity, remember Dr. Dorr and everyone involved with The Operation Walk team.
I’ve thought for years that before that new fangled thing called medical insurance changed the whole emphasis in medicine, people became Doctors from a need to help their fellow humans in time of need, not for money.

We’ve all heard stories from the distant past of farmers trading a chicken or two for a Doctors services. Maybe someday, we can return to some form of sanity with our health care system, where medical care is within reach of everyone, instead of just those with the means to afford it.




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