We hope this message finds you well. We are reaching out with news concerning our 2025 Gala.

The wildfires that struck Southern California the first week of January brought a wave of destruction that directly impacted volunteers, former patients, and donors. Our hearts break for the fear, uncertainty and loss many members of our community have experienced and have yet to face in the future.

After careful consideration, our Board of Directors has made the decision to postpone the 2025 Gala originally scheduled for May 3, 2025, at Annandale Golf Club.

We know how much everyone was looking forward to gathering together to celebrate the success of completing two missions in 2024 as well as looking towards and building the future of our organization. Our team understands the time and effort put into planning for this event and we do not take this decision lightly.

Our next scheduled event will be our Annual Angels Luncheon to be held on Wednesday, September 10 at Annandale Country Club. We’re already working together on ways to support our community, and we hope you will be a part of those events. 

Your support means the world to us, and we truly value your understanding during this challenging time. Even though we will not be holding a gala this year, we're endeavoring to stay true to our mission of performing life-changing hip and knee surgeries to individuals throughout the world who otherwise would be unable to receive them. Our team leaders are making plans to return to Cuba this fall and are excited to share more details as the mission develops.

We are tremendously grateful for the generous gifts given by our donors over the years. If you would like to be a part of planning our next event or give a donation to help us continue to provide joint replacement surgery in 2025, you may contact Marion Moser at marion@operationwalk.org or donate directly through our website using the button below.

Thank you all for being valued members of our Operation Walk family. We could not do this important work without you.

Westside Neighborhood School students continue their volunteerism with Operation Walk

In February, a group of volunteers gathered at the Operation Walk Los Angeles warehouse to clean, organize, and palletize durable medical equipment (DME) for our next mission.

The WNS (Westside Neighborhood School) SWIM (Solutionary Work In Motion) team—Madison Yamaguchi, Ethan Chang, Alex Melendez, and Haley Ahir—have been actively working to collect and donate DMEs. Their efforts were made possible through an ongoing collection drive that they set up at the Verdugo Hills Hospital Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department and the Verdugo Orthopedic Clinic.

Thanks to this collective effort, patients will receive the mobility aids essential for their recovery after their hip and knee replacement surgeries.

Special thanks to all the volunteers who contributed their time and effort on Sunday, including Stacy Kelso, Theresa Murphy, Paulina Andujo, Don Shimabukuro, Zen Shimabukuro, and Lisa Fujimoto-Yamaguchi.

We also extend our gratitude to Director Michelle Sullivan, PT Amy Hirata, and Managers Joana Wantland and Felicia Renty for their invaluable support for the students and for Operation Walk Los Angeles.

Lisa Fujimoto Yamaguchi

Team Leader

I am a Cuban patient blessed by this wonderful non-profit organization in my first successful total left knee prosthesis operation three months ago and now looking forward to my next right knee and hip operations.

Although I am 75 years old, I am still active as a full professor at the Latin American School of Medicine in Cuba. I continue with my General Pathology classes to US students in the second year of medicine and I also teach in the same year an optional course on Biosafety and Bioethics related to the subjects that constitute the Diagnostic Research Discipline that in Cuba unites: Pathological Anatomy, Medical Microbiology and Parasitology and Medical Genetics and that is interesting and attractive to the students. I take great satisfaction in teaching and also researching, which is why I direct a research project related to the quality of evaluation instruments that also has me very motivated.

As you can see, even at 75 years old, I feel active and useful, although I still have my other operations pending, and I have a difficult family situation with my husband who, at 83 years old, has developed advanced senile dementia.

But even so, I continue to fight with faith and optimism for a better quality of life and to be a little more useful to society every day. I am grateful again and again for having had the opportunity to be selected to receive treatment. I wish with all my heart to be able to continue teaching for many more years, as long as my quality of life and my neurons allow me.

I pray that this wonderful organization has more support of all kinds every day and that new volunteers join it to provide a lot of love and solidarity.

Blessings to all,

PhD Nancy Petra Ríos Hidalgo MD

Before - Amy and Yasmany work the steps

When Yasmany came to our patient clinic last November, he was suffering from a collapsed socket of his right hip, a hip that was very stiff and that ached with pain. The socket caused his leg to be 2 inches shorter on his right side, making everyday tasks difficult. He listed simple tasks such as showering, trimming his toenails, and tying his shoes as problematic.

Yasmany received his hip replacement just three short months ago. After the procedure, he was excited to be able to walk free from pain and without a limp. He was ready to get back to work and to start supporting himself, to move forward with his life.

Flash-forward to this past January. Yasmany sent an exciting update to volunteer and translator Molly Anderson about his current condition. He is doing well, walking without the aid of a cane or crutch and has started a new job at the local market, selling plumbing tools. He says he is excited about the new job and is happy that he is fully employed. He also appreciates that he has a chance to sit down and rest every once in a while throughout the workday.

Yasmany is grateful for this second chance. He feels like his life has started again.

“Thank you for funding me and donating for my surgery. Thanks to you all, my dreams are coming true. Please keep coming back, keep returning to Cuba so you can help more patients like me.”

After- Yasmany walking 2 months after surgery

Nelson and Michelle Burdette RN reunited at Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre ALMC in 2025

Operation Walk is composed of twenty-one chapters across the US, Canada, Ireland and Thailand. Each team secures volunteers with the range of skills needed based on the Operation Walk model and raises its own funds. Operation Walk Los Angeles representatives have trained each team on how to perform a successful Operation Walk mission, ensuring that quality standards and patient care remain consistent across the network.

One of these chapters is the Women Orthopaedist Global Outreach or WOGO. This team has been coordinating with the Los Angeles Chapter for sixteen years, working together to provide mobility and consistent care to people in countries such as Nepal, Guatemala, Cuba, and most recently, Tanzania.  

Both teams share information concerning partner hospitals, patients operated on, and those still in need of joint replacement. This tandem approach allows both groups to be informed on what equipment and which implants are required during each mission, as well as identifying which individuals are still waiting for surgery.

WOGO traveled to Tanzania this past February and helped to complete Rose's journey of bilateral joint replacement as well as receive an update from Nelson, who had his right knee replaced in 2023. Both patients were treated by OpWalk LA in August of 2023.  

Team Leader, Michelle Burdette RN, who also volunteers with our Los Angeles team, shared the good news. 

"Rose was one of the patients operated on by Los Angeles in 2023. She returned to Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre in 2025 to have her left knee replaced by WOGO. Nelson also had a knee replacement in 2023. He walked almost 10 miles to come and show me how well he's doing. He spoke to our current patients and told them to follow instructions after being discharged, how important exercising and walking is to recovery, and most of all how amazing life can be, pain-free.”

Thank you, Michelle, for sharing these stories and to WOGO for helping to continue the mission of changing lives through joint replacement surgery. Congratulations to your team for a successful and outstanding mission.

Michelle Burdette with Rose this past February after receiving her second knee replacement

With a successful 2024 behind us, we are busy working on the details of our 2025 mission and can’t wait to share them officially with you next month. This year will be the 46th mission trip for Operation Walk Los Angeles and we couldn’t be more committed to changing lives.

As the preparation continues, we need your help now more than ever! To make sure our patients receive the life-changing joint replacements they deserve, let’s work together.

How You Can Help

Help us provide 

• Hip Kits to aid recovery
• OTC pain medications that are incredibly difficult to come by in Cuba
• Team Meals to nourish our team after long days in the hospital 
• Wellness gift bags for patients to help them feel at home while in the hospital 

And SO much more!

Many patients in our host countries lack access to these essential recovery tools. Your donation can restore mobility, ease pain, and give someone the freedom to walk again.

Every single dollar makes a difference. Be a part of this journey. Bring hope and healing to our patients in 2025!

Operation Walk Angels may be from all walks of life, but one thing brings us together: purpose.

These women philanthropists ensure that Operation Walk's mission to restore mobility continues to reach patients here at home and around the world.

Our Angel Luncheon will be held this year on Wednesday, September 10, 11:00-2:00 at Annandale Country Club. We are excited to extend the invitation to all past and current Angels, as well as prospective Angels, to join us for this unique event.

Come and learn how Angels change lives through joint replacement surgery and ensure top-notch patient care.

The Luncheon will feature guest speakers, a raffle with one-of-a-kind offerings, and a beautiful lunch provided by Annandale. Keep an eye on your mailbox and inbox for more details to come.

To RSVP please contact Marion at marion@operationwalk.org or call our office at (424) 465-3600. There is no financial obligation, all donations are greatly appreciated but not required to attend.

Want to learn more, renew your membership, or become a first-time donor? Click on the link below to visit our website. As always, thanks for your support and for helping Operation Walk continue to change lives one surgery at a time.