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LIFE-CHANGING RESULTS AND IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE
Empowering surgeons & patients within their local communities
Total Joint Replacement surgery is one of the most successful and frequently performed operations worldwide. Patients often report dramatic pain relief and improved function, which allows them to regain their independence and overall quality of life.
However, the cost of joint replacement implants places them out of reach for many patients, particularly those in low and middle-income countries.
As a nonprofit medical humanitarian organization, the WalkStrong Foundation is committed to creating sustainable total joint replacement programs in underserved communities. The organization provides knee and hip replacements at no cost to individuals suffering from arthritis in developing countries.
"LASTING CHANGE REQUIRES SUSTAINED EFFORT & LONG-TERM COMMITMENT"
- Michael Christie, MD
OUR COMMITMENT
Create sustainable joint replacement programs by providing high-quality affordable implants, education and training, infrastructure support, and reliable data collection.
STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
Excellence and quality outcomes are at the heart of everything we do. Therefore, it is critical that we ensure patients not only have access to total joint replacement surgery worldwide but we must also establish these programs with the same standards of excellence that we would expect here in the United States.
TRAINING & EDUCATION
Walkstrong not only provides extensive education and training to the surgeons but also to the medical and nursing students, orthopedic residents, physical therapists, orthopedic faculty, operating room staff, and instrument processing personnel. We work closely with medical schools and orthopedic residency programs to provide lectures and hands-on training in the classroom, operating rooms, wards, and instrument processing areas.
Our long-term commitment allows for continuing education and training, which is crucial for creating sustainable joint replacement programs in underserved communities.
Find out how you can help.
HIGH-QUALITY AFFORDABLE IMPLANTS
Walkstrong has partnered with Signature Orthopedics in the development of high-quality affordable implants, this includes the World Knee, Hip, and Hemiarthroplasty, priced at $500, $800, and $400 respectively.
This is key in addressing one of the primary barriers to creating sustainable joint replacement programs in low and middle-income countries.
By providing affordable implants to local surgeons within our programs, Walkstrong can help more patients in need and support local programs instead of flying in on short-term mission trips.
"THE MEANING OF LIFE IS TO FIND YOUR GIFT. THE PURPOSE OF LIFE IS TO GIVE IT AWAY"
- Pablo Picasso
INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT
Infrastructure support is crucial in creating sustainable programs in these communities. Walkstrong has worked with Project Cure from their founding. They collect, collate, package, store, and ship donated medical equipment from all over the USA. They deliver containers worth $250,000 - $500,000 worth of medical equipment chosen to fit the needs of the receiving hospital or program.
MEASURING OUR IMPACT
To measure long term implant performance, patient outcomes, and program quality, Walkstrong has developed a smart phone-based application that is an implant registry, data base, and outcomes tracker. The data are collected on smart phones, tablets, or computers and stored in a HIPAA compliant data base in the cloud. Data collection on World joint replacement implants are included in the cost of the implant, which ensures reliable data collection and analysis.
Upcoming Events
Fri, Jun 07MurfreesboroJun 07, 2024, 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM CDTMurfreesboro, 405 Calumet Trace, Murfreesboro, TN 37127, USAJoin us for Walk Strong's 9th annual golf scramble fundraiser. This year will be a Morning Flight only! All teams invited to enjoy cash prizes, raffles, and silent auction to follow. Each player entry fee includes light breakfast, lunch, golf with cart, range balls, goodie bags & on-course games.