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Vision: Rotary is taking action for a world free of clubfoot disability.
Mission: To inform, activate, connect, and engage Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors and their friends to create ways and means to support action for a world free of clubfoot disability.
RAG4Clubfoot grew out of the vision of PDG Herb Wilson (District 6000). Because of Rotary’s success with polio eradication and improving health worldwide, Herb felt that clubfoot treatment and spreading of the Ponseti Method would be a good fit for Rotarians. We consider Iowa the RAG4Clubfoot “headquarters,” because the Ponseti Method was created by Dr. Ponseti, who studied and perfected his revolutionary treatment at The University of Iowa.
RAG4Clubfoot members come from Rotary Districts around the world, currently including Districts 6000, 5970, 6490, 5240, 7910, 5110, 5020, 6150, 9640, 5950, 4455, 4400, 4420, 4281, 3860, 3281, 3011, 1850, and 1660. Rotary Districts 6000 and 5970, the home districts of The University of Iowa and the birthplace of the Ponseti Method, are endorsing and supporting the effort to form a Rotary Action Group to eliminate clubfoot disability.
The RAG4Clubfoot primarily works as a clearinghouse to facilitate links among Rotarians and our partner, Ponseti International Association to organize and plan Ponseti Method training grants.
In addition, we also:
- Recruit fellow Rotarians to join RAG4Clubfoot.
- Work to reduce the stigma and raise awareness about clubfoot.
- Assist to educate the general public, health professionals at all levels, and government officials about Ponseti Method.
- Encourage Rotary districts to create global grants to support Ponseti Method training of local health professionals.
Contact Us if your club/district is interested in assisting or starting a clubfoot project.
Why Clubfoot?
Every 3 minutes a child is born with clubfoot. That is 200,000 children each year. Hundreds of thousands of these children will live with a lifetime deformity that will limit their mobility, their ability to walk to school or to play with friends and eventually to work. We can change that.
Our mission is to inform, activate, connect, and engage Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors and their friends to create ways and means to support action for a world free of clubfoot disability.
The Ponseti Method was developed at The University of Iowa by Dr. Ignacio Ponseti, M.D. His method for clubfoot treatment is nearly 100 percent effective when used properly by a trained care provider, and is considered the gold standard treatment for clubfoot. Read more >>>
RAG4Clubfoot Executive Committee
Co-Chairs: Tomeka Petersen and Marcel van Opstal
Treasurer: Mark Ruggeberg
Secretary: Lesley Dakin
Technical Officer: Dr. Jay Eastman
Admin Assistant and Social Media: Shannon O’Brien
Strategic Plan 2023-2026
RI Code of Policies Section 42.020
RAG4Clubfoot Financial Statements
Additional Board Members
John Buchanan
Brock Earnhardt
Ralph Hammond (PDG 7910)
Dennis Jordan
Chris Knapp (PDG 6000)
John Lichter
Dr. Astrid Medina
Dr. Jose Morcuende (ex-officio)
Dr. Michael Fakharani
Jorge Gutierrez Rodriguez
RAG4Clubfoot 101 – Common Questions and Answers
Why was this Rotary Action Group started?
Orthopaedic surgeons practice casting on foot models during a Ponseti Method training (Brazil Global Grant).
The global challenge is that too many children born with clubfoot do not have access to the Ponseti Method treatment. The world needs more physicians trained to provide quality Ponseti Method.
The RAG4Clubfoot primarily works as a clearinghouse to facilitate links among Rotarians and our partner, Ponseti International Association to organize and plan Ponseti Method training grants.
The RAG4Clubfoot has been the vision of PDG Herb Wilson (6000) for many years. Because of Rotary’s success with polio eradication and Rotarians involvement with community service projects improving health worldwide within large cities to rural communities, Herb felt that clubfoot/Ponseti Method activities would be a good fit for Rotarians. We consider Iowa the RAG4Clubfoot “headquarters” because Ponseti Method was created by Dr. Ponseti whom studied and perfected the clubfoot treatment known as the Ponseti Method at the University of Iowa.
What do RAG membership fees support?
The RAG membership fees assist with operational and administrative support such as website hosting, printing of promotional materials, fees to have booths at Rotary events, and administrative support to serve as liaison with RI, Co-Chairs & PIA, maintain the RAG membership database, prepare materials for RAG and district newsletters, respond to email inquiries, write annual report, assist the Marketing Chair with creation of marketing materials, maintain social media accounts, support Co-Chairs re: Board meetings and assist with Iowa’s Gift to the World donation database.
If you are interested in learning more about training grants please email us at: info@rag4clubfoot.org