Cuban Academy of Sciences to award eminent US orthopedics

The Cuban Academy of Sciences (ACC by its Spanish acronym) will award in the coming days the Operation Walk Volunteer Organization, which since 1997 offers free surgery to patients for arthritis or other bone and joint conditions, despite the persistent socio-economic war against the country by the U.S. government.

One of them is William Thomas Long, currently head of the Department of Hip Surgery, University of California, and Member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery, informed Nancy Pavon Fuentes, secretary of the ACC.

Long will receive the status of Corresponding Academician, said Pavon Fuentes in a totally exclusive interview to the Cuban News Agency, referring to one of the leaders of the team that since a week ago and until today applies the surgical processes to 70 people at the Fructuoso Rodriguez Orthopedic Teaching Hospital, in Havana.

She added that the rest of the group will be recognized with diplomas and the ACC's 150th Anniversary Medal, among them Mary Ellen Sievel, Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in robotic surgery and organization; in addition to her colleague Trish Linday, who joined in 2000 and is currently an implant researcher and organizer, as well as Professor Paul Gilbert.

William Thomas Long is a renowned physician and scientist in the orthopedics field and for a number of years has been involved in Operation Walk, which started in Cuba 28 years ago with a view to restoring mobility to people, as they themselves say "We are going to change lives".

Since then, they have been performing surgeries on 30 to 50 patients with innovative techniques in orthopedics, anesthesiology, rehabilitation and medicine, and even experts from the University of California have given lectures and donated numerous medical equipment, such as anesthesia machines, all of which they have brought with them, with an approximate value of between 10 and 12 million dollars.

The US solidarity mission is made up of 64 professionals, the largest number in its history, despite the disastrous impact of Hurricane Rafael in the western part of the nation, in the midst of the recovery process.