The Operation Walk Maryland Team traveled to Ludhiana in the Punjab state of India this past January.   The team consisted of 49 health care providers and volunteers who took care of impoverished patients needing hip and knee replacements.    The surgeries were performed by the Operation Walk team at Dayanand Medical College and hospital.

This was the most successful Operation Walk Maryland trip to date.  There were 70 joint replacements performed in 59 patients.  The team also made an impact by training local nurses, therapists, and orthopaedic residents.  ” It was a very rewarding trip, and we accomplished all our goals,” said Paul Khanuja, medical director.  ”We helped people in need, and we left an impact by training our colleagues to improve the care they deliver.”

We are indebted to all of our supporters who make this happen.  Special thanks to the Munjal Family and Hero Motocorp, as well as Zimmer for implants and supplies.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates during the trip.

“Thank you to our supporters, friends and volunteers.  With your generosity we were able to change the lives of 30 people in Quito, Ecuador.  The overwhelming trust and gratitude of the patients was humbling.  Operation Walk Maryland provided a hope that these people never expected.

On morning rounds I saw a 37 year old woman, who had both knees replaced the day before, with tears in her eyes crying and saying ” I am walking, I am walking.”  She was extremely nervous prior to her surgery and all her anxiety turned to motivation to be home with her young daughter.

The amount of suffering these patients lived with before our arrival is telling.   A man in his 50′s who worked in the fields with a machete had end stage crippling arthritis.  Yet everyday he worked 12 hours to provide for his family.  He and his wife left with tears as they said good-bye to the team, and he left pain-free.

A special thanks to all of our talented and dedicated staff that traveled to Quito.

Please check back for more stories and photos.

The Quito, Ecuador photo gallery can be seen here.