Walk of Dreams Gala

Operation Walk Denver is restoring the joy of walking.  It began with a small team doing a small number of joint replacements and evolved to today’s team of over 100 healthcare volunteers who have cared for over 1,200 patients.  This is the 10th annual Walk of Dreams Gala.  Operation Walk Denver is remembering the hundreds of patients whose lives have been touched during the 16 mission trips to countries such as Panama, Guatemala, and Honduras.  “Operation Walk Denver is the dream of a group of healthcare providers committed to providing free surgical care for those with debilitating arthritis in developing countries. Our missions have provided us with great personal satisfaction and the ability to give back to those in need.” said Dr. Douglas A. Dennis, Executive Director.

“Our biggest reward on these mission trips is the patient’s smiles.  I would say most of the patients have never seen a doctor at all and they are just crippled with a debilitating arthritic disease,”  said Jim Boyle, Medical Coordinator of Operation Walk Denver.

Operation Walk is a not-for-profit volunteer medical services organization that provides free surgical treatments for patients in developing countries and in the United States. These patients suffer from debilitating bone and joint conditions, such as arthritis, and do not have access to medical care. Operation Walk also educates local orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, and other health care professionals on the most advanced treatment of hip and knee joint diseases. Founded in 1994, Operation Walk teams have operated on hundreds of patients in Russia, Cuba, Nepal, China, the Philippines, Peru, Nicaragua, Mexico and the United States.

In addition to giving many people a new hope and ability to walk again in other countries, Operation Walk Denver also strives to help people in the Denver community who have few resources and are in desperate need of joint replacement surgery.  During the last three years, the Denver chapter has performed 47 free hip and knee replacements through the partnership with Operation Walk USA.  Through the generosity of donors, their dreams have come true.

For more information visit www.operationwalkdenver.org