According to a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, over 600 million adults suffer from osteoarthritis globally. While those in the United States often have access to state of the art care, many across the globe do not have access to any treatment. Operation Walk Pittsburgh is a volunteer organization dedicated to providing the gift of mobility to patients in need across Central America. Each mission trip involves a team of surgeons, nurses and other personnel who provide joint replacements and arthritis and joint health education completely free of cost. Operation Walk Pittsburgh works side by side with local surgeons, nurses and therapists to share knowledge, expertise and encourage a true cultural and medical exchange.
Going on the 2025 Operation Walk Pittsburgh mission to Antigua, Guatemala was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. I’ve always thought about success in terms of numbers—how many surgeries we do, how many supplies we donate, how much we fundraise. And in some ways those numbers do matter; they represent months of planning, late nights, and so much work behind the scenes.
But once we were there, the numbers faded into the background. In 2025, our team performed dozens of life-changing joint replacements, educated patients, and kept pushing the mission’s impact forward. Yet what I’ll remember most has nothing to do with statistics.
Success isn’t about a data sheet or final totals—it’s about the stories behind them. It’s about the grandma who walked without pain for the first time in years, or the dad who could go back to work to support his family again. It’s the tears, the smiles, and the hugs shared across language barriers. Those moments remind you that the heart of this mission isn’t measured in numbers, but in human connection.
Every member of the Operation Walk Pittsburgh team volunteered their time, skills, and compassion. Surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, and volunteers worked side-by-side—from Pre-Op to the ORs to PACU to the floors—all driven by the same goal: to bring hope and healing to people who truly need it.
When we packed up to leave Antigua, the fulfillment we felt wasn’t about how much we accomplished on paper. It was about how deeply we had touched lives, and how those lives touched us in return. I left Guatemala with a full heart, overwhelming gratitude, and a deeper sense of empathy for those whose journeys are still shaped by pain, resilience, and hope.
