CLEARWATER – Four local people without insurance received a life-changing holiday gift. They will start 2026 by regaining their mobility with a new knee or hip replacement.
BayCare’s Orthopedic Institute partnered with the Clearwater Free Clinic, the St. Pete Free Clinic and Operation Walk USA to provide the four with free joint replacement surgeries.
The surgeries were performed by orthopedic surgeons Dr. Duane Belongie, Dr. Christopher Grayson, Dr. Christopher James and Dr. David Whiddon. They donated their services Dec. 6 at BayCare’s Mease Countryside Hospital in Safety Harbor. Also donating their services were anesthesiology physicians Dr. Jay Epstein, Dr. Jacob Ludin and Dr. Hope Sprunger.
Operation Walk USA is a medical charitable organization that addresses the needs of uninsured patients in the United States who require a hip or knee replacement surgery.
BayCare worked with the clinics to obtain a list of patients consistently in need of joint replacements. 2025 marks BayCare’s third consecutive year participating in Operation Walk.
“At BayCare, we have a mission to improve the health of those that we serve,” said Gina Rowland, director of BayCare’s Orthopedic Institute. “This includes those facing difficult circumstances, where health care may not be easily accessible. Operation Walk allows for us to support our community and make a positive impact to those in need.”
To qualify for the free surgeries, patients had to meet specific federal income requirements and be uninsured.
Rowland said BayCare covered the cost of every aspect of these uninsured patients’ surgical journeys. This included presurgical testing, surgery, hospitalization, prescriptions, medical equipment, home health care and outpatient rehabilitation. She added that hip and knee implants were donated by orthopedic vendors. All pre- and post-surgery medical visits were also covered.
Melissa Monforte, 53, of Hudson, had her right hip replaced. Monforte learned about Operation Walk USA by doing her own research on charitable surgeries. She said her family was initially skeptical.
“They told me, ‘Don’t bet on it, Mom,’” Monforte said. “They just thought I was some old lady going on a whim.”
Her family’s doubts faded as the Operation Walk USA process advanced through BayCare and Monforte was confirmed for the hip replacement. Monforte showed her family emails and correspondence as evidence that she was going to get a free hip replacement. Monforte said her daughter started crying when it became a reality that her mom was going to get the help she needed.
“I cried too,” Monforte said.
Before the surgery, Monforte said she was unable to walk 200 feet without excruciating pain and needed a motorized cart when shopping. Monforte said she’s looking forward to walking pain-free again and doing things with her grandchildren.
“I couldn’t go trick-or-treating with my 4-year-old granddaughter,” Monforte said. “I need to go back to work again, I just want to live.”
The work with Operation Walk USA is just one example of BayCare supporting the region’s health through community benefit. BayCare spent $107 million last year in unreimbursed costs for patients without insurance.
