When Gerardo first came into our clinic, he really caught my eye. Up until that point, I had only seen clubfoot patients who were babies. He was the first one I had seen who was walking, who had actually lived with the pain of his deformity. His father told us that he is a very intelligent boy and that he loves to play soccer. He said that with two good feet, Gerardo would be able to play on his school soccer team the next year.

During that first visit, Gerardo’s emotional separation and face devoid of expression showed clearly that his condition weighed heavily on him and who he was becoming as a person. Yet, just moments later, after his first cast was put on, a smile beamed across his face. This, perhaps, was what really drew me to admire this young boy; although he had a long and sometimes really painful road ahead of him, he knew what the outcome was going to be and could smile because of that. Hope was handed to him that day, and that’s all he needed to know that whatever he had to go through, in the end it would be worth it. Read the rest of this entry »