Furthering our mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ by caring for those who are ill and nurturing the health of the people in our communities requires strategic partnerships. At Parker Adventist Hospital, we partner with Operation Walk to help extend our mission. Operation Walk is a volunteer organization committed to providing necessary joint replacements to those in need. It is also the organization which led Regie Batdorf to Parker Adventist Hospital.
Batdorf, a retired grocery store employee, was feeling the enormous physical pain resulting from his long career. Post retirement, he took a new position at a different grocery store and spent much of his time stocking shelves. While this new position supplemented his pension, it did not provide him with health insurance.
While stocking shelves at his new job, Batdorf would bend down to place items on the bottom shelf but was unable to stand up without assistance. In time, things worsened, including his safety, comfort and freedom to move. He developed significant arthritis in his knees and had difficulty walking. Batdorf avoided stairs and eventually had to use a power chair to get around.
“The pain took its toll on the quality of my life. There were times when I didn’t know how things were going to get any better,” says Batdorf.
Caught between two worlds
Batdorf represents many people in this country struggling to manage the costs associated with their medical needs. Retired, he had no health insurance and had not yet reached the minimum age to receive Medicare. He was caught between two worlds, unable to get the help he needed to improve his quality of life.
Fortunately, through the guidance of his primary care physician, Batdorf was introduced to Operation Walk, an organization which has worked with Parker Adventist Hospital since 2012.
Through this partnership, Parker provides free hip and knee replacement surgeries for those who lack insurance coverage and are unable to pay for the procedure. The hospital covers all aspects of treatment, hospitalization and pre- and post-operative care, at no cost to participating patients.
A return to living life
On Dec. 3, 2018, Batdorf received the knee replacement surgery he so desperately needed.
For Batdorf, the knee replacement was life changing. He was able to return to living his life rather than suffering through it. He began walking again and felt confident as he went through his daily routine.
For Dr. Derek Johnson, orthopedic medical director and surgeon, it was also life changing. According to Dr. Johnson, “Most patients who’ve been depressed will tell you their quality of life is very poor because everything they do hurts.”
Patients often lose confidence in their ability to do the smallest tasks, such as getting in and out of the shower. Having a surgery that gives them their life back also gives them their peace of mind back.
Batdorf is appreciative of his treatment at Parker Adventist Hospital and its partnership with Operation Walk. “I could not have asked for better help. It felt like family,” he says. Each fall, Parker Adventist Hospital treats patients just like Batdorf by providing their medical care for free.
More than 20 percent of the world population suffers from arthritis—53 million people in the U.S. alone. With numbers like these, Parker Adventist Hospital will continue to partner with organizations who help nurture the health of the people in our communities.
