Nation's 1st free surgery center set to open in OC with goal to perform 30 free surgeries a month

ORANGE, Calif. (KABC) -- A new state-of-the-art medical facility is opening in Orange County where volunteer surgeons will soon provide free surgeries and other procedures for low-income and uninsured patients.

A vision to create the nation's first no cost surgery center in O.C. was nothing short of a dream just four years ago.

Ed Gerber, executive director of Lestonnac Free Clinic, cannot believe it's become a reality.

"It is so much better than I anticipated it to be," Gerber said. "It is not a secondhand facility. We've built an absolutely marvelous place for people to get the care that they need."

Lestonnac Surgery Center will soon open its doors to uninsured patients.

"Up until now, we've had to rely on hoping a person can get into the county hospital or really going out to their family to come up with $2,000 or $3,000 to be able to afford the surgery," Gerber said.

The facility includes two fully equipped operating rooms, where volunteer surgeons will be able to perform potentially life-saving surgical procedures like colonoscopies, hernia repairs and eye surgeries for free.

Dr. Deep Dudeja is an ophthalmologist. He will volunteer his time at the surgery center.

"It's amazing," he said. "I can't wait to start working here."

His goal is to be at the center at least once a week treating patients with eye and vision problems.

"It just feels right to me. It just feels right to give back. I come from very humble beginnings, and I think I've seen where I got some help when I was in the younger years and my family got help so to me giving back to the community is so important," Dr. Dudeja said.

"I have no doubt that what we're going to do here is going to save lives," Gerber added.

Once the surgery center is up and running, Lestonnac aims to perform about 30 surgeries a month before ramping up. Gerber hopes to have their first surgery done by Father's Day.