Lisa Fujimoto and Trish Lindsey completing paperwork requirements from the Philippines Consulate in Los Angeles

Our team leaders continue preparation and planning for our upcoming mission to the Philippines this summer. Paperwork, logistics, ordering and acquiring supplies, and on-the-ground planning take center stage at this part of the game.

Team leaders, Lisa Fujimoto Yamaguchi PA and Trish Lindsey RN visited the Philippines consulate in Los Angeles to coordinate any paperwork and requirements for our mission.

Our core volunteers met at the warehouse to review plans and procedures, and identify any issues that still need to be addressed. Our PACU staff sorted medications for post-operative care. Many thanks to the below volunteers who gave their time to continue to make this mission possible:

-Lisa Fujimoto Yamaguchi PA

-Trish Lindsey RN

-Dr. Bryan Chan

-Dr. John Kumar

-Mary Ellen Sieben RN

-Trina Ingalls RN

-Jhen Valdez RN

-Stacy Kelso

-Ana Vasquez

The team continues to work on ordering medications and tabulating existing supplies as well as securing sponsorships for transportation, lodging, and meals while our team is in the Philippines.

If you are interested in a sponsorship of any of the above items, please contact Lisa Fujimoto Yamaguchi at lisa.fujimoto@operationwalk.org.

Volunteers meeting for Philippines and PACU medications prep

We wanted to share the progress of two patients operated on our 2023 mission to Arusha, Tanzania. Both Innocent and Amina are doing well and finding a rhythm to their lives after joint replacement surgery.

Innocent

Tanzania 2023

“Every day I can do something new. I am excited to see what each day holds and continue to work on getting stronger and supporting my family. I'm happy to inform you that I have gotten work with a firm called RIGHT TO PLAY which deals with children’s development as a driver and logistics assistant. The work is a permanent job and I start next week."

Amina

Tanzania 2023

Amina has returned to her teaching job and finds each day better than the last. 

“You can see where I work, there are places that were difficult to walk-they were too high. It still can be a bit difficult, but I get better each day, and I am sure I will be excellent soon. I am so thankful to be back to my job at Anglia Primary School and to be with my students again.”

She has been in touch with her anesthesiologist, Dr. Johnathan Weiss, and keeps him updated on her progress.

“I have remained in contact with Amina since her knee replacement surgery in August. She returned to work several months ago and now walks and lives pain-free.”

Both stories help us to understand what joint replacement surgery can achieve and how our mission helps return normalcy, freedom, and confidence to each patient. Thank you Innocent and Amina for sharing your progress, we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Isabella volunteering at the Operation Walk 2022 Gala

These past few months we’ve featured young volunteers who are stepping up to be the next generation of volunteers for Operation Walk Los Angeles. We’re happy to introduce University of Wisconsin-Madison student, Isabella Umali-Grawe. We thank Isabella in advance for taking time to out of her busy schedule during midterms to share information about herself, her goals after graduation, and why it is important for her to volunteer on our upcoming mission to the Philippines this summer.

“Hello everyone, I’m Isabella Umali-Grawe. I'm a third-year student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison graduating in May. I'm studying Neurobiology on the pre-med track. I also completed a medical assistant course and am currently studying to take the NHA CCMA exam to become a Certified Medical Assistant, hoping to receive my certification by graduation. 

I first heard about Operation Walk through my godmother, Trish Lindsey. Trish explained the work she was doing with the organization, and I wanted to become part of it. I’ve volunteered for Operation Walk before at the 2022 Annual Gala, but I am looking forward to being a part of the mission trip team this summer! My mother is from the Philippines, and I haven't been there in many years. I'm grateful and humbled that I'll be going back to the Philippines for this purpose.” 

Juliana, Vivienne Uytana PT, and Sandy Holsbeke PT sorting patient medications during our 2021 trip to Antigua Guatemala

In the next few months, we will be exploring the family connection within the Operation Walk organization. Team members have often raised their children in our community and emphasized the importance of volunteerism, service, compassion and giving back to both the local and the global community. These second-generation volunteers bring a new energy, spirit, and vision to Operation Walk. Often young volunteers go into the field of health care to become the new face of medicine.

This month’s story features the Holsbeke family. Matt Holsbeke NP and his wife, Sandy Holsbeke PT, have been active members of our team for almost twenty years. They've dedicated many hours to fundraising, organizing and participating in mission trips around the world. Matt explains his commitment.

“The independence we create, through the magic of total joint replacements, helps our patients to be reunited and accepted within their communities and be a more productive individual in their society. If I had to describe the team members’ desire to do what we do, I would have to say, it is the passion and love of one individual to another to help mankind. Taking my daughters on a medical mission trip to third world countries allows them an opportunity to experience the simplicity of life, the people that live there and the importance of giving unconditionally.”

In this spirit, both Matt and Sandy decided that giving their two daughters, Sierra and Julianna, the chance to participate in a mission trip would be an invaluable life opportunity. Sierra traveled with us to Havana, Cuba, in 2019 and Julianna to Antigua, Guatemala, in 2021. Below are their thoughts and what they learned during their experiences.

“This has been a wonderful trip. I’ve gotten to experience every aspect of the mission. Throughout these experiences, I’ve been able to narrow down my focus of what I would like to do with my life after my college graduation.”

-Sierra Holsbeke

“To see the work that all of you do to help people that can’t get the help that they desperately need opens my eyes to opportunities in the future, opportunities in the medical field. I am very thankful for each and every one of you. I learned so much. Thank you everyone for sharing your stories about past mission trips. Your experiences inspire me to give back. It has been very rewarding to see the results of our combined work.”

-Juliana Holsbeke

Sierra currently works in the role of front office manager with a Physical Therapy office and Juliana is continuing her college career and is following her entrepreneurial spirit, opening her own cleaning business. 

When speaking with their mother, Sandy, she sums up what Operation Walk means to their family and the importance of exposing children to experiences that include volunteering and maybe even taking a step out of their comfort zone.

“Our daughters have grown up experiencing the joy of giving back and providing service to others in need locally. They watched as Matt and then myself joined the OpWalk team to expand that service to a broader community. We’re so very grateful to have had the opportunity to have both of them experience that excitement of seeing firsthand the gift of being part of a life-changing surgery. The added benefit of experiencing another's culture and gaining a broader view of the challenges others face around the world was invaluable. The missions they both participated in also provided them with a much closer look at what Matt and I do in our respective professions and opened their eyes to potential career paths. Thank you Op Walk!”

Thank you Holsbeke family for being a part of our OpWalk family and helping us to continue our mission of restoring mobility and changing lives.

Armando with daughters and granddaughter this February

In 2019, Armando had reached a standstill. Both of his knees no longer cooperated, and walking was increasingly difficult. Armando relates that the damage to his knees was probably related to his military service. After military life, he worked primarily for the Department of Transportation, monitoring worker organization and salaries. This job required him to ride a motorcycle from town to town. Admittedly, this did not help his damaged knees.

As the years passed, the damage increased due to wear and tear. He consulted with local hospitals, but then the Pandemic struck. It wasn’t until January 2022 that he connected with Hospital Fructuoso Rodríguez Orthopedic and learned that an organization called Operation Walk would be visiting in April. He submitted his application for screening at this point.

Armando's first steps after bilateral knee replacement

On April 1, during our patient screening, Armando remembers that each patient was seen one by one by the “American Specialists”, and he was #30 on the list. When his turn came, he was evaluated by one of our teams that included Dr. Steve Barnett. That afternoon, Armando was given the news that he'd be admitted the following day and receive bilateral knee surgery.

Two days later, Armando claimed that he was a new person. He greeted Dr. Barnett and his staff and showed them his new mobility. He was discharged the following day. “A total blessing on this institution. I can’t believe what a difference surgery made in such a short amount of time.” Armando recalls. He returned to his home in Santa Clara and continued his physical therapy. He says that almost two years have passed, and each day walking is a blessing. He explained, “There are still some small discomforts, but nothing to do with how I felt before. Operation Walk makes it possible for one to return to life.”

Today he can do activities that were out of reach due to his physical limitations. He can take care of his home, run errands, and spend time with his family - all things that were out of reach before his surgeries. Two of his favorite activities are going hiking with his family in the mountains near Trinidad, Cuba, and playing with his granddaughter.

“Because of Operation Walk - these things, all things, are possible.”

Armando hiking in the mountains with his family, two years after double knee replacement

Operation Walk Los Angeles was recently featured in the La Cañada Outlook Valley Sun in an article by journalist Mia Alva.

Read more about the beginnings of our organization, what inspired our founder, Dr. Lawrence Dorr, and Director Emeritus Jeri Ward to begin their journey, and how Operation Walk continues to change lives around the world.

Dr. Dorr and Mary Ellen on Saint Patrick's Day

“May your troubles be less and your blessings be more, and nothing but happiness come through your door”.

Sending you much luck and love this Saint Patrick's Day and throughout the year. Let us move forward together to restore mobility, share compassion and kindness and change lives in every corner of the world.

Looking back 20 years...

We take a look back into our archives, wondering where we were restoring mobility in March in years past. We found this amazing photo of Director Emeritus, Jeri Ward, in Nepal; twenty years ago with a patient and his beautiful wife. Some of our favorite things are the memories and bonds we have created with our patients.

Do you have a photo or memory to share about a past trip? Send your thoughts and images to cami@operationwalk.org and you could be featured in our next newsletter!