Monmouth Medical Center and Seaview Orthopaedics Partner on Free Joint Replacement Surgeries for Patients in Need as Part of ‘Operation Walk USA’

Monmouth Medical Center and Seaview Orthopaedics Partner on Free Joint Replacement Surgeries for Patients in Need as Part of ‘Operation Walk USA’

RWJBarnabas Health is the only 2024 New Jersey participant in nationwide program, now in its 14^th year

Elizabeth Alaribe with her surgeon Dr. David Chalnick prior to surgery at Monmouth Medical Center

Miadea Esther Constance Ganda walking with her therapists a day after her knee replacement surgery at Monmouth Medical Center

Long Branch, NJ  – Monmouth Medical Center (MMC), an RWJBarnabas Health facility, and Seaview Orthopaedics, a partner practice of RWJBarnabas Health, have provided two women with the gift of mobility and restored quality of life this holiday season through Operation Walk USA, a nationwide initiative that provides free joint replacements to uninsured patients in need. MMC and Seaview Orthopaedics are the only facilities in New Jersey participating in Operation Walk USA this year. Over the past 14 years, Operation Walk USA has provided free joint replacement surgeries for more than 900 patients, with the value of these procedures exceeding $24 million.

This month, two patients received life-changing, no-cost joint replacement surgeries through Operation Walk USA. One recipient, Elizabeth Alaribe, a Nigerian native who now lives in Jamesburg, New Jersey, has endured over a decade of debilitating knee pain caused by severely bowlegged knees. A retired school administrator, she eagerly looks forward to walking without assistance and driving again after her upcoming bilateral knee replacement surgery at MMC. The second recipient, Miadea Esther Constance Ganda, is a 70-year-old resident of Lake Katrine, New York, who has suffered from constant pain and reduced mobility. After experiencing significant relief from a left knee replacement last year through MMC and Seaview’s participation in Operation Walk USA, she now had a second procedure on her right knee. The surgeries were performed by surgeons on staff at MMC and Seaview Orthopaedics, which will also provide free physical therapy services for the patients’ recoveries along with JAG Physical Therapy. Zimmer Biomet donated the implants for these procedures.

“For patients with advanced arthritis, knee and hip pain can be absolutely debilitating,” said Dr. David Chalnick, an orthopedic surgeon with Seaview Orthopaedics who serves as medical director of the Joint Replacement Surgery Program at MMC and is performing Elizabeth’s surgery. “Joint replacement can be an opportunity for patients to get back to daily activities that many of us take for granted, such as simply taking a walk. Through Operation Walk USA, we are able to help patients who may otherwise be unable to receive such treatment to get back on their feet and reclaim their lives.”

“These procedures are not just about relieving pain; they’re about restoring hope and improving overall quality of life,” said Dr. Joel Fechisin, an orthopedic surgeon with Seaview Orthopaedics and MMC, who is performing Miadea’s surgery. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see patients regain their mobility and the ability to enjoy everyday activities again.”

“Helping someone to walk again, and to return to a life without pain, is indeed a cause worth celebrating, and we are proud to once again participate in Operation Walk USA,” added Eric Carney, President and CEO of MMC as well as its Southern Campus in Lakewood. “Through programs like Operation Walk USA and the kindness and compassion of our dedicated physicians such as Dr. Chalnick and Dr. Fechisin, we’re able to provide this high quality care to patients in need.”

To learn more about orthopedic services at RWJBarnabas Health, visit www.rwjbh.org/ortho.