In a heartwarming celebration of resilience, healing and advocacy Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital became a beacon of hope last week as World Clubfoot Day was commemorated alongside the 20th anniversary of STEPS Clubfoot Care, a non-profit organisation (NPO) that has transformed thousands of young lives across Southern Africa.
Children dressed in casts and braces, symbols of their journey through the Ponseti method of treatment, were the centre of attention as families, health-care professionals and STEPS representatives gathered to celebrate the visible progress of those living with clubfoot, a congenital condition that causes one or both feet to turn inwards or downward.
“Clubfoot is not a life sentence, it’s a treatable condition,” said Karen Mara Moss, the founder and CEO of STEPS Clubfoot Care. “With early care, children born with clubfoot can walk, run, and live full lives.”
Since its inception in 2005 STEPS has helped more than 20 000 children gain access to life-changing treatment, mostly through public health-care clinics. The organisation has also played a pivotal role in introducing and expanding the use of the Ponseti Method in South Africa, a non-surgical, low-cost treatment that, when started early, yields excellent results.
“Our biggest achievement over the past 20 years has been driving change in the way clubfoot is treated in this region,” Moss reflected. “We’ve enabled access to treatment for children who otherwise would have been missed due to backlogs in surgery or financial constraints.”
The shift has been significant. “When we started the Ponseti Method wasn’t widely known in South Africa,” said Moss. “Now, thanks to our partnerships with public clinics and the South African Paediatric Orthopaedic Society, there are 48 specialist public-sector clubfoot clinics.”
One of the many success stories shared at the event was that of twin girls Odirile and Ofentse, both born with bilateral clubfoot. “Their parents were initially shocked by the diagnosis,” Moss shared, “but they followed every step of the treatment process. Today, the girls walk and play like any other child. Their story shows the power of early intervention and supportive families.”
For clinic staff, the transformation of each child is personal.
“Most parents come in scared, overwhelmed and uncertain of their baby’s future,” said Jane Mackinnon, STEPS clinic coordinator at Red Cross Children’s Hospital. “They always leave with a sense of renewed hope after we counsel them about clubfoot and the treatment journey ahead. Through the Ponseti method children are walk into their check-ups. You would never know they had clubfoot.”
But challenges remain, especially in rural and underserved areas.
“There is still a lack of awareness, late diagnoses and high transport costs that keep families from accessing consistent treatment,” Moss explained. “Some families travel hundreds of kilometres to clinics and often miss appointments due to affordability. Budget cuts in health care also affect the reliable supply of braces at our partner clinics.” To combat these obstacles STEPS provides a Family Resource Toolkit aimed at empowering caregivers and ensuring continuity of care.
The commemoration on 3 June, World Clubfoot Day, also paid tribute to Dr Ignacio Ponseti, the pioneer of the globally recognised treatment method. STEPS’s work continues to be deeply inspired by his legacy of patient-centred care and innovation.
Towards the end Moss reflected on the road ahead: “We’re here because of 20 years of belief, from parents, from doctors and every supporter who has helped make treatment possible. And we look forward to walking the next 20 years alongside even more families.”
For more information, visit www.steps.org.za.
