ANTIGUA, GUATEMALA
SEPTEMBER 25 - OCTOBER 2, 2027
Operation Walk Pittsburgh is pleased to announce that our volunteer travel team will return to Antigua, Guatemala, once more for Mission 2027 in late September.
This will be the team’s 12th trip to Obras Sociales Hospital, and our 17th trip overall!
As always, we are excited to return to the place where it all began and to provide even more patients with the life-changing gift of mobility. During Mission 2027, we plan to provide free joint replacement surgery to 65 patients: completing 80-90 hip and knee replacement surgeries — all at no cost to the patients themselves.
Additionally, Dr. Mike Guthrie of Wexford Family Dentistry will offer Antigua residents a free dental clinic…now in its sixth year. Dr. Guthrie will be joined this year by a greatly expanded dental team to surpass the 2026 clinic’s outcomes — 79 patients received 246 dental procedures, including fillings, extractions, root canals, and crowns…all at no cost. Dr. Guthrie hopes to exceed those numbers in 2027.
Finally, for the second time ever, our Pittsburgh-based, AMD3 Foundation community outreach team will travel with us and export our 4-Point Screening Program for musculoskeletal health in this unique mission setting! Last year, our team provided 394 local residents, hospital employees, and patient family members FREE bone density scans, nutrition evaluations, lipid screenings, and grip strength testing. Now in its second year, our team plans to expand this effort and hopes to reach over 600 community members. We’ll provide them with report cards and treatment plans to help prevent arthritis, osteoporosis, and other musculoskeletal diseases from developing or progressing so that they can remain mobile and active longer.
As always, we could not make all of this incredible work possible without the support of our donors. If you’re interested in supporting the mission with a financial gift, please click the “Donate” button in the top right corner of your screen. No matter the size of your contribution, 100% will directly support patient care during the mission.
Applying to the travel team for Mission 2027
Are you interested on joining the 2027 Operation Walk Pittsburgh travel team as a clinical or non-clinical volunteer? Slots are available for surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, Spanish interpreters, general hospital volunteers, and many other roles. As a travel team member, you’ll serve an important role in changing the lives of patients in need during Mission 2027.
To apply as a clinical volunteer, you must be currently licensed and employed in your chosen field. Specialization in orthopaedics is a plus. Non-clinical volunteers come from a variety of professional backgrounds, but healthcare experience and Spanish language skills are a plus. Interpreters must speak Spanish at a high-advanced / collegiate level, and bilingual interpreter applicants will receive priority.
All travel team members must agree to meet a fixed fundraising goal prior to travel. Fundraising goals are tiered based on average salaries for each clinical profession recruited to the team. Non-clinical volunteers meet a fixed $3000 fundraising goal no matter their profession.
Rather than pay the fundraising goal amount out-of-pocket, we encourage team members to engage in formal and informal fundraising activities in the months leading up to the trip. Our staff are available to assist with these activities and provide resources along the way, including a website where donors can contribute in support of a travel team member by name.
All funds raised by travel team members in this way support the purchase of critically needed surgical supplies and equipment for the trip. For questions about fundraising goals and deadlines, please reach out to victoria@amd3.org.
Operation Walk Pittsburgh will arrange and cover the cost of flights, hotel, in-country transportation, and most meals for all travel team members. During the trip, team members are only financially responsible for incidental expenses and 2-3 dinners.
To apply to the travel team, please click below. All applicants should have a valid passport that does not expire before October 2nd, 2027. They will also be required to submit a number of documents, including state certification for clinical volunteers, passport information, BLS/CPR/ACLS certification, and other supporting documents and certifications. Non-clinical volunteers do not need to be certified in BLS, CPR, or ACLS to apply. If invited to join the travel team and you choose to accept the invitation, a non-refundable $250 deposit against your fundraising goal will be required to hold your position on the team.
Applicants will be notified of their application status in late December.
Planning for an OpWalk mission and making it all happen takes a tremendous amount of financial and in-kind support. As always, all donations made to Operation Walk Pittsburgh directly support patient care during the mission. We thank all of our donors and corporate sponsors for their support. To make a donation or explore corporate sponsorship opportunities, please email info@amd3.org or click the button below.
If you have a gently used walker or cane you’d like to donate to the mission, please reach out.
JOIN THE JOURNEY
As this year’s mission unfolds, our communications team will be sharing news and updates.
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