Electronic Newsletter: June 2022 |
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Angels at the Angels Luncheon
Left to right: Mary Ellen Sieben, RN, Trish Lindsey, RN,
Jeri Ward, RN, Yolee Casagrande, RN, and Cindy Gilbert, RN
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1 - An Afternoon of Angels: May Luncheon & Raffle Winners
2 - Welcome Board Member: Richard Link
3 - Happy 90th Birthday to two special Angels!
4 - Pedro and Ayda's Journey: "A Life in Pain Is No Life at All"
5 - First-time Volunteers: Meet Racquelle
6 - Save the Date: Annual Gala
7 - "Orthopaedic Nurse by Day, DJ by Night," volunteer Paulina Andujo
8 - Dr. Dorr's Book on Amazon
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Thank you to everyone who attended the Angels Luncheon on May 11th. Sixty amazing women gathered at Annandale Golf Club in support of Operation Walk Los Angeles and the Angels program. Guests were welcomed by Co-hosts Marilyn Dorr & Jill Baffert, and by Director Emeritus Jeri Ward, RN. |
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Guests listen attentively to Dr. Maxine Anderson's presentation |
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Dr. Maxine Anderson presented a slideshow on the April 2022 Operation Walk mission in Havana, Cuba. Dr. Anderson explained the difficulties of acquiring medical supplies and coordinating cargo delivery to Cuba. She also highlighted the importance of teamwork and collaboration in the work we do. Cami Ward presented each Angel with a card from the Cuban patient they sponsored, reminding everyone that their donations truly change lives. |
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Angels also had an exclusive first look at the Operation Walk Remembers video created by Jill Baffert. Thank you, Jill!
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"Operation Walk Remembers" Video |
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The video can also be viewed now on our website: www.operationwalk.org or on our YouTube page: www.youtube.com/OperationWalkLA |
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Congratulations to our Angels Luncheon Raffle winners |
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Congratulations to our Grand Prize Winners! The winner of the Eagles concert in Las Vegas is pre-op nurse, Kaylee Molera, RN. The winner of the Downtown LA getaway is Justin Barrera, who is an orderly in the Main OR. Both winners work at Keck Medicine of USC.
Special thanks to team leader, Trish Lindsey RN, for taking the initiative to fundraise for this raffle at Keck Medical Center of USC.
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Thank you to our raffle donors: |
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Jill Baffert
Ava Baldwin
Miriam Cameron, M.D.
Alejandra Castillo
Marilyn Dorr
Eagles Production Team
Lisa Fujimoto-Yamaguchi, P.A.
Marlene Keys
Pradeep John Kumar, M.D.
Carolyn Miller
Jennifer Okuno, P.T.
Vince and Ann Pham
Nan Rae
Don Shimabukuro, P.T.
Marla Smith
Aneesah Smith, M.D.
Vivienne Uytana, P.T.
Jeri Ward, R.N.
Cami Ward
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Welcome Mr. Richard Link to the Board of Directors |
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We are happy to announce Richard Link as a member of our Board of Directors. Mr. Link and his wife Kathy are dedicated supporters of Operation Walk Los Angeles.
Richard Link is a seasoned financial executive, most recently serving as the Group Vice President Controller and Chief Accounting Officer for Smart & Final Stores.
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He serves on the Board of Trustees of Azusa Pacific University since 2020 and holds a Master of Business Administration from USC Marshall School of Business.
Please join us in welcoming Richard Link to our Board.
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Happy 90th Birthday
to Two Special Angels!
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Operation Walk would like to wish two of our Angels a very happy May birthday. Jean E. Hide-Cohen and Nora Szechy both turned 90 years old in May.
Jean was born in Chichester, England. She lived through the war years there. She suffered an accident as a child that almost resulted in the amputation of her foot. She was cared for and loved deeply by her father. She grew up and became a model, arriving in the USA by ship. Jean married Lenard Cohen and they raised 4 children in Los Angeles. Jean’s philanthropy to Operation Walk comes from her having first hand knowledge about the pain from having a damaged limb and the inability to walk. She has donated to Operation Walk for over 20 years.
Nora Szechy was born on the Emerald Isle, and immigrated to the USA in 1956. Nora earned her airfare by escorting 2 orphans to the USA for adoption. She worked as a secretary and then in Real Estate while raising 3 children. One great gift that Nora has given OpWalk (besides being and Angel!) is her daughter Ava and son-in-law Kyle Baldwin. Kyle worked with Dr. Dorr since 1991 as a physical therapist treating patients at USC University Hospital. Then, when Kyle opened his own practice in Long Beach, CA, he continued to support Dr. Dorr’s patients through outpatient PT. Ava has worked tirelessly on fundraising, volunteering on missions, and supporting the education component of our program. Some fun facts about Nora that her daughter, Ava, would like to share: "Nora is independent, lives alone, and drives very well. She never broke a bone until age 82 (wrist), and never stayed overnight at a hospital (except to give birth)!"
These beautiful women are ageless. Their kind hearts and philanthropy are what makes us confident that Operation Walk will continue its work for many years to come. Happy Birthday, Jean and Nora, and thank you both for all you do.
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Violinist Karolina Protsenko and Jean E. Hide-Cohen |
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Nora Szechy and Marilyn Dorr at the 2022 Angels Luncheon |
Brett, Ava, Kate and Kyle Baldwin with Nora at her birthday celebration |
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"A life in pain is no pain at all"
Pedro and Ayda's Journey
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By Cami Ward, Social Media Manager |
A simple statement but one that gets straight to the point.
After two and a half years of correspondence, I sit in a room with Pedro and his wife Ayda, a day before surgery. I’ve just asked the question, “What are you most looking forward to after your hip replacements?” Ayda’s answer was swift and without hesitation. After her initial thought, she continued, “I want to walk normal again. I want to feel like myself. I just want to play with my grandson.”
Pedro agreed. “I don’t want to see her in pain anymore, struggling to walk. I don’t want to be in pain anymore, to have to depend on our son and our neighbors to do the simplest of tasks; going to the bank, picking up groceries, cleaning our home.”
Pedro and Ayda met 47 years ago and this May they will have been married 46 years. They made their home in Cardenas along the coast of Cuba, and have two children: Harold and Hánele, and now three grandchildren. Ayda worked as a professor of athletics at the University, eventually becoming a massage therapist specializing in sports medicine. Pedro built his career in the hospitality industry starting as a busboy, moving to waiter, and eventually working the front desk.
Both suffered the effects of repetitive stress on their joints due to the nature of their jobs. This stress took a toll on their joints, primarily their hips. Ayda needed her left hip replaced and Pedro needed bilateral surgery. They had been searching for years for an answer, as implants were almost impossible to find in Cuba. One evening in 2019, Pedro saw a story about an American-based non-profit, Operation Walk, that was coordinating with Hospital Fructuoso Rodriguez in Havana to replace hips and knees. Their excitement soon changed to disappointment, discovering that the team was on the way back to the United States and that they had missed their opportunity.
This began Pedro’s journey to contact Operation Walk and find a way to get both himself and his wife on the screening list. He faithfully wrote our Los Angeles chapter as well as Dr. Jared Roberts from Operation Walk Albany. Pedro was put in contact with Dr. Roberto Balmaseda and his team, and after waiting almost three years, they were both screened by our team of volunteers.
That week in April was one that Pedro says changed both of their lives. “To be free of the grinding pain that haunts every step. To see your wife smiling again, a true smile. That is the miracle we hoped for.”
Both Pedro and Ayda received a left hip replacement and are now together on the road to recovery. Recently, they made the two and a half hour journey to Hospital Fructuoso with their son Harold for their two week check-up with Dr. Balamseda. Pedro sent me a message that evening to update me on their progress and shared a few thoughts, this is how he concluded:
We remembered all of you through the corridors and rooms. We continue and will continue to be grateful to Operation Walk and the Fructuoso team because we have already shown not only improvement, but also mobility and the desire to run into our future. A hug for all, from the two of us,
-Pedro and Ayda
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First-time Volunteers:
Meet Racquelle
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"It was a dream working with Sharron Whiteley, RN in the PACU on our recent trip to Cuba. On my last day there, I actually cried for my colleagues; because the nurses we worked with lacked so many things. You don’t realize how much we take for granted, having access to all the resources available in the United States and Canada. My fellow nurses were so grateful for everything. For us being there with them, for being there for the patients. |
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Racquelle Thieling, RN in the pre-op/post-op unit
during the Operation Walk mission in Havana 2022
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Seeing the patients before and after surgery, how much they are trying to regain mobility and are thankful for that chance to change their lives; it was so impactful. I didn’t know what to expect. I had considered coming on a mission trip for the last five years. I had the invitation, but life always had something else planned for me. I am so glad I came on this trip, that I took this opportunity. I have met so many friends and I hope to keep in touch with you all."
-Racquelle Thieling, RN
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SAVE THE DATE:
Operation Walk Annual Gala
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Please mark your calendars with the official date of our annual gala: October 22, 2022. The venue will be Annandale Golf Club in Pasadena, California.
We hope you can join us for a wonderful evening in support of Operation Walk Los Angeles.
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Volunteer Paulina Andujo, RN in Cedars-Sinai article |
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Cedars-Sinai nurse, Paulina Andujo, was recently featured on an article on the Cedars-Sinai website. The article highlights her diverse skills and talent. You can watch the video interview and read the article below. Paulina is an experienced volunteer with Operation Walk Los Angeles, and we are always proud to showcase her accomplishments, both as an orthopaedic nurse and DJ! |
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Paulina Andujo, RN and Julie Anderson, RN
at the 2022 Angels Luncheon
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"Orthopaedic Nurse by Day, DJ by Night" |
"Behind orthopaedic nurse Paulina Andujo' s contagious smile lies not only a compassionate caregiver but also a unique talent...."
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Next Step: HOPE
Now available on Amazon
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Dr. Dorr's book is now available for purchase on Amazon. If you already have a copy of the book, you can help us by leaving a review.
We are grateful for your support in honoring Dr. Dorr's legacy.
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To stay up to date with us daily, please follow our social media pages below: |
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Operation Walk Los Angeles | (424) 558-8076 | alejandra@operationwalk.org | Website
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