Our all-volunteer team of orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, scrub techs and surgical nurses performs joint replacement surgeries in impoverished and rural areas in the Dominican Republic.
Our History
|
Freedom to Move was founded by renowned orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Paul Duwelius. After studying at Creighton University School of Medicine, University of Nebraska and the University of California at Davis, Dr. Duwelius came to Saint Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center in Portland, Oregon where he is currently chairman of the Orthopedic Research Foundation.
His participation in volunteer trips to the Dominican Republic for humanitarian relief and educational efforts through his work with the Jesuit organization Institute for Latin American Concern through Creighton University led to the formation of Freedom to Move. Learn more about what we do and get a first-hand account of our work in the field.
|
Our medical teams are transforming the lives of people living in poor, rural communities who are unable to move without pain. |
Combining Forces with Operation Walk
Freedom to Move recently joined forces with Operation Walk to enhance our work in Dominican Republic. Founded in 1994 by Dr. Lawrence D. Dorr, Operation Walk surgeons, nurses, and health professionals have operated on more than 3,000 patients in Russia, Cuba, Nepal, China, the Philippines, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico, El Salvador, India, Ecuador, Peru and the United States. Since then, Operation Walk has branched into local chapters all over the United States to maximize impact and reach.
Our Mission
Our Mission is to transform the lives of people living in poor, rural communities who are unable to move without pain. We are a non-profit team of doctors and nurses going to the Dominican Republic each year to perform hip and knee replacement surgeries for people who would otherwise never have the opportunity to be pain free. We also teach local medical personnel new skills which will allow them to give even better care after our medical teams have returned home.
