How a child’s life can change thanks to Rotary
July 31, 2023
How a child’s life can change thanks to Rotary written by RAG4Clubfoot Board member, Dr. Astrid Medina, posted on Rotary Service in Action blog. July 2023.
Dr. Astrid Medina is a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon in Bogota, Colombia assisting with two global grants to improve children’s access to Ponseti Method treatment.
International Clubfoot Day 2023
June 30, 2023
International Clubfoot Day 2023
June 30, 2023
International Clubfoot Day 2023
June 30, 2023
Colombia Clinica Santa Maria del Lago Bogotá
Transforming Lives – an approved Global Grant for Ecuador
February 7, 2023
Each year, there are an estimated 350 new children born with clubfoot in Ecuador. Global Grant “Transforming Lives” (GG2239604), approved by the Rotary Foundation in August 2022 with a budget of $39,375, aims to ensure that all children in Ecuador have access to low-cost and effective Ponseti treatment for clubfoot. The Rotary Club of Tsáchila de Santo Domingo (Ecuador) in District 4400 is the host of the project and the Rotary Club of Saint Helena (California) in District 5130 is the International Sponsor. Already, nine Ponseti clinics in seven cities across Ecuador have been established and a growing number of patients are receiving treatment. Through this project, three International Trainers are conducting follow-up visits to observe and evaluate the functioning of these clinics and to provide feedback and advice to the Ecuadorian doctors. 500 additional braces have been ordered, and these braces will be distributed to the clinics. Newly trained providers will be prepared to raise awareness about clubfoot and its treatment among clinical staff, parents of children with clubfoot, and other healthcare officials and advocates who are in positions to assist with community mobilization throughout Ecuador. To this end, five Ecuadorian doctors were selected to attend the October 2022 Society of Ecuadorian Congress of Orthopedics and Traumatology (“SEOT”) in Quito where they presented the work of their clinics and their results with clinical cases.
Brazil Update coming soon!
January 27, 2023
Thank you, Dr. Monica for providing these photos as an update for how Brazil is benefitting from RAG4Clubfoot and Ponseti Method! More details to come in our newsletter.
Anne’s Journey with Clubfoot and Stigma
January 4, 2023
Anne Onyango, founder of Clubfoot Society of Kenya presented to the IC Downtown Club recently. Throughout this presentation she discusses Clubfoot Society of Kenya and their efforts to provide orthopedic boots for adults with clubfoot. Additionally, she shares how to reduce stigma around clubfoot.
Anne started Clubfoot Society because she faced challenges herself to receive boots to help combat clubfoot discomfort. Initially, she was searching for people similar to her in rural areas, but physical disability was lumped as a singular term. Therefore, she struggled creating a database of contacts for adults with clubfoot. But in the next year, she plans on doing sensitization programs through radio and other platforms to create a formidable force that will encourage the government to help with funding.
Furthering, the conversation around stigma, Anne says she always has to explain why she is disabled and answer individuals questions when they are staring. For example, adults with clubfoot want to buy shoes alone and do not want to try on shoes around other individuals. And while Kenyans are embracing disability progressively, there is a problem where when men have a child with clubfoot and then they often abandon the family entirely. Thankfully, Anne is creating radio programs to discuss these challenges and try to overcome these barriers that allow the stigma around clubfoot to exist.
More details to come in our upcoming newsletter in February.
Mulago Hospital Clubfoot Clinic
January 4, 2023
Shafique Pirani (member of RC of Barnaby in Vancouver, Canada) recently provided details about an original Ponseti Method training grant in the 1990s funded by Rotary. He heard from an individual visiting Uganda that had connected with a trainer whom Shafique had trained over 20 years ago! He was one of the initial trainees in one of the first Ponseti Method training grants funding by Rotary.
This clinic was established in 2000 as part of the Uganda Clubfoot Project and continues to this day. It’s annual census is between 250-300 new cases per year and between 5,000-6,000 children have benefited from Ponseti Method.
The white coated gentleman to the right is the key person. He is affectionately known as Mr Clubfoot!
(Diriisa Kitemagwa)
This photo displays the Rotary wheel, the sign with reference to Rotary Clubs involved, and reference to RI President Bill Boyd 2006.
Board Member, Dra. Astrid Medina Interview with Colleague
December 28, 2022
View this interview with Dra. Astrid Medina sharing information about clubfoot, Colombia’s national clubfoot treatment program, including Rotary’s involvement.
Lucky’s Feet Impacting Individuals Around the Globe!
December 28, 2022
A rotarian, Jacquelyn, was able to visit and read in Mokopane, South Africa to spread the word about clubfoot and HOPE!She read, with the assistance of a translator, Lucky’s Feet to over 200 children from the local village where Blessman Ministries hosts a feeding center. They loved the story, and shared with that they learned several things, including:
– It’s not the anyone’s fault when a child has a disability.
– We need to be kind to people with disabilities.
– We need to have compassion.
Furthermore, a board member was contacted and was able to connect resources at a local level! We are resource connectors in helping find practical treatment for children with clubfoot!
.