Charity ‘Operation Walk’ provides free surgeries

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>> sfour final report tonight is about a doctor helping people get back on their feet again. they're in constant pain, but like many americans they can't afford to pay for the care they need. that's where one doctor and his doctor friends come in. they're making a difference in a lot of lives. we got the story from our chief medical editor, dr. nancy snyderman .

>> reporter: orthopedic surgeon does more than fix bones for a living. for years, operation walk, the charity he founded, has provided free surgeries for thousands of vulnerable people around the globe. now with tough economic times in this country, dr. dorr is bringing his charity home. during a recent two-day span, he and 60 other orthopedic surgeons operated on uninsured patients, replacing their bad hips and knees.

>> these people all have lost their hope for their tomorrows.

>> reporter: 85 people have regained the ability to walk for free in what would normally be a $30,000 to $50,000 operation. reco this recording artist needed both hips replaced. in the '90s, cherry had her own band and hit song that climbed the charts. then came difficulty walking and pain. terry couldn't even stand up long enough to sing.

>> feel like you're 100 years old, right? she gave private lessons instead to pay the bills. stooefb rsteven robertson's pain was so severe, he contemplated ending his life.

>> when things narrow, you start feeling hopeless.

>> reporter: with nowhere else to turn, he and others wrote to dr. rdorr, pleading for help.

>> you can almost see the patient leaning over the paper, writing, tears falling on the paper.

>> reporter: dr. larry dorr is the man to lead on. for the price of a postage stamp , they got back on their feet. dr. nancy snyderman , nbc news, los angeles .

Charity ‘Operation Walk’ provides free surgeries

Orthopedic surgeons operate on uninsured patients, replacing their bad hips and knees. NBC’s Nancy Snyderman reports.

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This content comes from Closed Captioning that was broadcast along with this program.