Friday, July 12: Flight Delays Threaten Trip

In the aftermath of last Wednesday night’s storm, the Operation Walk Pittsburgh team had a trying day of travel. You never quite know what to expect in an airport the day after a monstrous storm rolls through. With 53 people scheduled to arrive from 5 different cities, there was bound to be some minor setbacks. However, this year, the main group from Pittsburgh, all 42 passengers, experienced a delay and then missed the only connecting flight to San Pedro Sula.
 
Despite a full year of preparation, the team faced the possibility of having to cancel this year’s trip due to lack of options for getting 53 people reassigned to new flights. A quickly assembled team that involved the ground chief of United Airways in Honduras, a dedicated travel agent at Shadyside Travel in Pittsburgh, Dr. Tony DiGioia grounded in Houston, and our Team Leaders in San Pedro Sula, created a plan that allowed the majority of the team to arrive last night via 7 different flights.

Although a few team members were left to spend the night in Houston (Don’t worry, they got there eventually!), yesterday embodied the spirit of Operation Walk. Everything that Operation Walk Pittsburgh volunteers endure; the long flights, countless hours in an operating room, performing life changing surgeries during vacation time, is all for the patients and families. Canceling the trip was simply not an option and thanks to the perseverance of the entire team, a bulk of the traveling team was able to board a flight to Roatán, an island off the coast of Honduras. The flight was then graciously rerouted (Thank you United Airlines!) to make a special stop in San Pedro Sula, which allowed the majority of the traveling doctors, nurses, and other hospital personnel, to arrive at Hospital Bendana in time to begin screening patients today.

Thursday  proved to be a long, trying day for the entire team, but with extra effort from the Advance Team, the hospital was prepared to begin the screening clinic, evaluations, and the first surgery (Friday, July 12)!
 
Thank you to our amazing group of volunteers and their positive attitudes and spirit throughout yesterday’s traveling adventure! Today, the team will refocus their efforts on Granting the Wish to Walk for so many in need in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.