RAG4Clubfoot Present at D6000 conferences

April 25, 2023

RAG4Clubfoot had a display in the House of Friendship at District 6000 (Iowa, USA) Conferences in three locations:
Carroll, Iowa – April 15
Coralville, Iowa – April 22
West Des Moines – April 29

RAG4Clubfoot table display during D6000 conference in Carroll, IA.
Thank you Lesley, our Board Secretary, for the display!


Colombia looking to expand their brace bank and educate parents on the importance of the brace

April 25, 2023

Colombia
Written by Marcel van Opstal (Colombia) and Astrid Medina, both are members of RC of Bogotá Centenario (Colombia)

Rotarians in Colombia propose to expand their efforts to ensure 823 children complete their clubfoot treatment by expanding the number of braces available in a brace bank and to provide training to 400 parents regarding the importance of using the braces until age 5 as well as handling and appropriate use of the brace.

In 2021, Rotary and the Colombian Orthopedic Society created the brace bank that lends braces to children free of charge and changes them as the child’s foot grows. This use and reuse of braces saves resources and allows that by wearing braces up to 5 years of age, children maintain the good results of the Ponseti Method.

It has been a fantastic collaborative exercise between the two districts of Colombia, with contributions from more than 25 Colombian Rotary Clubs, 5 Rotary Clubs of Calgary, RAG4Clubfoot on behalf of a donation from an Iowa City (Iowa) Rotary Club, District 5360 (Calgary, Canada) & District 6000 (Iowa, USA).

Global Grant (#2238189) application has been submitted to The Rotary Foundation for review and approval.


Lucky’s Feet — Children’s Story Book Spreading Awareness

April 25, 2023

We’re grateful to share that there have been two instances where the children’s storybook, Lucky’s Feet has been read to children around the globe and impact communities (South Africa and Eldridge, Iowa, USA).

Through this, children shared that they learned several things, including:
– It’s not 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 in South Africa! We are resource connectors in helping find practical treatment for children with clubfoot!

Video recording of author Dr. Tom Cook reading, Lucky’s Feet


RAG4Clubfoot present at NE PETS House of Friendships

April 25, 2023


March 9 – 11, 2023
RAG4Clubfoot seized the opportunity to display our work in the House of Friendship at Northeast Presidents-Elect (NE PETS) Training Seminar held in West Newton, MA (USA) March 9 – 11. Districts present were: 7780, 7850, 7890, 7910, 7930, 7950 and 7980.

Thank you, Ralph Hammond, our newest Board member for introducing us to your region!

Photo (l – r): Marcel van Opstal, Co-Chair, Ralph Hammond, Board member; and Victor Tom, DG 7910.

Photo (l – r): Marcel van Opstal, Co-Chair; Tomeka Petersen, Co-Chair; and Ralph Hammond, Board member & PDG 7910.


Argentina’s data being collected to write final report

April 25, 2023

December 2022
Global grant activities of training 9 orthopaedic surgeons in Ponseti Method have been completed. Host contacts are completing the final report by collecting data like total number of patients treated at each clubfoot clinic and how many additional doctors were trained by the 9 orthopeadic surgeons trained. The financial report has been completed and submitted to The Rotary Foundation.
Details provided by Elisa Oviedo, RC of Ground Bourg (Argentina) and Nenu Piragine, RC of Iowa City A.M. (Iowa, USA)


World Polio Day 2022 and Beyond: A healthier future for mothers and children

November 28, 2022

21 – 22 October
WHO in Geneva Ponseti Method training program in Argentina by Dr. Miguel Paz and Dr. Jose Morcuende

Rotary and WHO presented an urgent point in our work to achieve a polio-free world and to adapt the lessons learned to improve health systems worldwide.

The conference featured:
Regional breakout sessions highlighting Rotary maternal and child health projects
Discussions on community-based solutions to improve global health
A UNICEF session on the power of vaccines
Highlights on Rotary’s Programs of Scale for malaria and maternal-child health


Argentina Update – Written by Elisa Oviedo, RC of Ground Bourg

November 28, 2022

In March 2022, training was carried out by the Vocation Training Team (VTT) Dr. Morcuende, Dr. Paz and Dra. Nogueira. Initially for seven hospitals in Argentina where 70% of clubfoot cases are found. We also delivered 500 splints and equipped the clinics so that the Ponseti Clinics could function. We also delivered printed material. The second visit of the VTT was in October, finding the hospitals in full application of the Ponseti Method. Two hospitals were added that we had not originally planned.

Being such a successful project, Rotary and the World Health Organization invited grant primary contacts to present at the WHO headquarters in Geneva to coincide with World Day 2022 Polio and Beyond, October 22.

We transferred the invitation to the VTT, happily they were able to travel to Geneva. Dr. Morcuende gave a 7 minute lecture with a very concise and sensitive PowerPoint presentation and answered questions. This project was selected along with 20 – 25 other Global Grants from around the world focused on Maternal and Child Health, a privilege!


Brazil (GG1638412) Ponseti Method Training Grant

November 28, 2022

Written by Dr. Monica Nogueira, RC Saõ Paulo-Sudeste
Brazilian global grant 1638412 -Erradicando o Pé Torto no Brasil (dist 4420, 6000, 5970 and 5300) is progressing and in September we´ve been in Belem for the evaluation of the north region. We had presentations of the doctors from the 4 states, and doctors from Belem (Raul Boetger, Paulo Braga) showed a structured reference Ponseti clinic in their new children Hospital. The state of Amazonas is being organized, and putting together forces to increment their clinic in the public hospitals. We had very good news from Rio Branco, Acre, with Dr Nelson Marquesini, with a reference clinic very organized there, and we had a great opportunity to train Dr Roberto Dourado, from Macapá, Amapá, and he has the support of the parents association there, very active.

Iowa’s Gift to the World funding for 5 symposiums

The north region evaluation is the second of 5 different evaluation simposiae, one per Brazilian region. We check if the clinics were implemented, if they are working well, and all the indicators for a good reference clinic.

The first was in Recife, Pernambuco, for the Northest region, in April 29 and 30, 2022.

We had a very important symposium in São Carlos, in June 11 and 12, for the evaluation of all national foot abduction braces for clubfoot.

Sao Paulo meeting of the Ponseti Method June 10 – 11 in Sao Carlos Eradicating (GG1638412) and orthotizing (GG1981190) of congenital clubfoot.

There are 3 more important symposiae, scheduled for next year: Evaluation of South Region, in Porto Alegre March 24 and 25th, evaluation of the Center West Region, in Campo Grande, May 26 and 27th, and evaluation of Region Southeast in Rio de Janeiro, August 18 and 19th 2023.

GG1981190 “Ortetizando o pé torto no Brasil”
(English translation, Orthetizing clubfoot in Brazil)

3000 braces from the 3 best braces were bought by a new global grant 1981190 “Ortetizando o pé torto no Brasil” Rotary districts 4540 RC S Carlos Norte, 4420 RC SP Sudeste, and Santo Andre, and districts 1870 and 1830, from RC Willich, Germany and doctors from the whole State of São Paulo presented their 21 ponseti reference clinics with wonderful results.


Ecuador “Transforming Lives” Global Grant approved

September 1, 2022

Global Grant “Transforming Lives” (GG2239604) has been approved by The Rotary Foundation. It proposes the completion of a comprehensive training program for 11 Pediatric Orthopedists/ Orthopedic Surgeons (“trainees”) in Ecuador. The 11 trainees have already completed a first phase of training and have begun to establish 10 clinics in 8 cities distributed across Ecuador. During this project, three International Trainers will visit the trainees’ clinics (8 of which are in public hospitals) to evaluate the trainees in relation to the technique of the Ponseti Method (“PM”) and the organizational functioning of their clinics. The project will also distribute 500 braces to the clinics and promote the use of the PM within the Ecuadorian health care system by sponsoring the dissemination of information and guidance on the PM within the Ecuadorian scientific community. Annually, there are an estimated 350 new children born with clubfoot in Ecuador. Over the course of the trainees’ careers, it is expected that thousands of children will benefit from this project. The Rotary Club of Saint Helena (California) in District 5130 is the International Sponsor and the Rotary Club of Tsáchila de Santo Domingo (Ecuador) in District 4400 will host the project.


GG#2096598 – Ponseti Method Training in Argentina

July 20, 2022

The Ponseti Method training in Argentina (GG#2096598) was a collaboration of the the RC of Grand Bourg (D4905, Argentina), the RC of Iowa City AM (D6000, Iowa, USA), Ponseti International Association (PIA) and The Rotary Foundation. The total cost of the project was $49,749.

The main goals of the project were to train orthopedists from seven public hospitals in Argentina, located in the city of Buenos Aires (CABA), the province of Buenos Aires, and the province of Santa Fe, and to furnish, supply and set up a state-of-the-art Ponseti Clinic in each of the hospitals. The training started on March 20th, 2022, with the five-day visit of a Vocational Training Team (VTT), headed by Dr. Jose Morcuende. In Nov. 2022 Dr Morcuende will return to Argentina for five days to consult with providers who were previously trained and evaluate the Ponseti Clinics. The project will directly benefit a population of approximately 4,000 people. The Final Financial Report was approved by the RI Office in Buenos Aires on May 21st, 2022. It was then submitted to TRF as part of the project’s final report.

Submitted by Nenu Piragine (RC of Iowa City A.M.)