Operation Walk Helps Local Residents Take Steps Toward Happiness

Last week, three Allegheny County residents had a special reason to be thankful—they received hip and knee replacements at no cost through Operation Walk Pittsburgh.

Terrik Kurpiewski, 52, of Etna; Autumn Merriweather, 51, of New Kensington; and Vearie Poellnitz, 61, of Penn Hills, had their left hip, left knee, and right knee replaced, respectively, through a nationwide effort that will provide over 80 patients in 15 states with life-changing surgical care.

Operation Walk is a not-for-profit, volunteer medical services organization that provides free surgical treatment for patients in developing countries and the US. Operation Walk Pittsburgh, founded by Dr. Anthony DiGioia in 2008, joined other chapters to form Operation Walk USA, the inaugural nationwide effort that was kicked off last Tuesday with the surgeries at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC.

DiGioia states, “We were one of the first chapters to add performing local surgeries to our international efforts each year. It is becoming a great Thanksgiving tradition and allows the program to give back to the local community.”

DiGioia, medical director at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC's Orthopaedic Program and Founder, performed Kurpiewski and Merriweather’s surgeries. Brian Reynolds Hamlin, also an orthopaedic surgeon with Magee’s Orthopaedic Program, performed Poellnitz's surgery.

The patients and families are happy the tradition is catching on. Many have suffered for years with debilitating pain that prevents them from working and doing almost all normal daily activities.

“[I have] a very, very poor quality of life," Poellnitz said. "It’s difficult to get up and do anything. I’m glad the program is here to help people like me who don’t have insurance.”

This year's Operation Walk patients had the opportunity to learn and receive encouragement from last year’s local patients. Deborah Wilson of Morgantown and Susan Bates of Pittsburgh—each received a knee replacement through Operation Walk—came back for this year’s event.

“It is an excellent program—it's changed my life,” Bates said.

Operation Walk Pittsburgh is a true local effort supported across a variety of organizations and companies to help those in need. Thanks to a special partnership between Renaissance Orthopaedics, Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, the Bone & Joint Center at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC, Zimmer-Randall, AmeriCares, Alpin Ortho, Centers for Rehab Services, UPMC Home Health Care, and the AMD3 Foundation, all of the patients are being provided surgery and rehab for free.

Through similar partnerships nationwide, Operation Walk USA will be providing 85 patients in 15 states with joint replacement surgeries at no cost over the next week.

If you or someone you know may be eligible for surgery through Operation Walk Pittsburgh or for more information about how to support and volunteer with Operation Walk Pittsburgh please visit www.operationwalkpgh.org.

About the surgery recipients

Vearie I. Poellnitz, 61, lives in Penn Hills. Originally from Alabama,
she moved to Detroit before eventually settling in the Pittsburgh area. She has two children and six grandchildren. Vearie works as a housekeeper in Squirrel Hill. She has been having issues with her right knee for the last several years. Poellnitz and her family look forward to her being able to do more of the things she enjoys like working on her home and spending time with her family.

Autumn Merriweather, 51, is from New Kensington. She used to own and operate a daycare center before becoming the operations coordinator for a car dealership, however her knees have been preventing her from working. She is looking forward to life after her surgery, as she hopes to open her own interior decorating business.

Terri M. Kurpiewski is 52 and was born and raised in Etna, where she still resides. She previously worked in the catering business, however her hip condition has left her unable to work for several years. She has three children and two grandchildren, who she loves to play with but is limited in her ability to spend time with them. She is excited about the possibility of going back to work, being able to play with her grandkids, and walk normally without a cane.

This article and photos were submitted to the Plum-Oakmont Patch by Stacey Simon, UPMC Media Relations Manager.