A national clubfoot conference was held in Delhi, India, last month – arguably the first of its kind. The event was organized by leaders of CURE International India, aided by a staff of CURE program coordinators and counselors. A culmination of months of planning and preparation resulted in a collaborative event that is truly a rare occurrence at many levels.
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“Club foot treatment soon at Bokaro General Hospital” from The Times of India
Simple, but not easy. On my present trip to India, this phrase has come to mind in several contexts. CURE International India Trust (CIIT) is the umbrella under which the CURE Clubfoot Worldwide (CCW) program is administered and managed. I attended the CIIT board meeting, which has impressive and helpful members who are devoted to the continued good work and expansive growth of the program. To do this effectively, CIIT was registered as a trust, and several applications were made to be able to receive funds without tax consequence. Simple goals, but not an easy process – there are at least four approvals needed, and the ability to receive funds from outside of India on a more permanent basis still awaits. The government appropriately is concerned to vet our organization, ensuring we are legitimate and have fidelity to our mission. The authorities want evidence that we spend our money with integrity, but we cannot bring in funds until they grant approval. Read the rest of this entry »
“Government is committed to curb clubfoot-affected cases in Delhi” from News Track India
“Treatment facilities to be expanded for children with clubfoot” from the Business Standard
The Honorable Chief Minister of the State, Shri. Oomen Chandy, congratulated the team of orthopedic doctors from the Government Medical College and CURE India team on the success of the treatment provided to children born with clubfoot. The Chief Minister and the Health Minister interacted with the parents of children born with clubfoot, who are successfully undergoing treatment at the government medical colleges at Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Thirssur, Kottayam & Kozhicode. The parents thanked the government for providing world-class modern treatment free of cost in public healthcare system. During this occasion, Shri. Chandy inaugurated “Snehapurvam,” a state-level awareness program launched by CURE India to scale-up public awareness of clubfoot and also raise funds to help children get complete treatment. Read the rest of this entry »
These pictures were taken at a recent CURE Clubfoot Worldwide (CCW) training event in Bengaluru, India.
CURE Clubfoot Worldwide (CCW) has signed a five-year partnership agreement with the government of Maharashtra, one of the largest and most populous states of India. Home to 112 million people, it is estimated that 2,750 children are born with clubfoot here every year. As a result of this formal partnership, the door has been opened for CCW to organize medical training events at hospitals in Maharashtra. In addition, by the end of the year we will be holding three weekly clinics in Mumbai, three in Pune, and six in other districts in the state. The number of weekly clinics we are able to hold will have tripled!
Praise the Lord for His blessing in opening the doors for continued opportunities in India.
Iris Devadason has always loved to paint. Time for art was limited, though, while raising two children and holding down a full time career as a professor of English. Now retired, she has devoted her time to her art. Undisturbed by other distractions, Iris is finding great joy in focusing on her painting. She has also found a cause she can support with her art — CURE Clubfoot Karnataka.
Santosh George had Iris as a professor in school. Now the Regional Manager for Asia of CURE Clubfoot Worldwide, Santosh approached Iris about partnering with CURE Clubfoot to raise both awareness of the many children suffering from the condition as well as funds to help cover their treatment. Iris was glad to be a part of the work CURE was doing. “I learned that these children are neglected and go through a lot of mental agony, as they don’t receive proper medical treatment and attention. So, I decided to do something for them through my paintings,” said Iris.
The artist has found inspiration in the lives of famous artists who suffered from clubfoot, notably the English poet, Lord Byron, and the French painter, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. Iris found even greater inspiration in the stories of clubfoot children who have been treated by CURE — children who have gone from anguish to healing. She has produced a collection of works that reflect that story. Capturing both disappointment and hope, sorrow and joy, the paintings of Iris help the observer understand the tortured existence of clubfoot children before treatment, as well as their incredible experience of finding healing.
Iris has titled her exhibit “Walk in Beauty,” and it first went on display in December of 2010. A second showing took place in April of this year. Money raised by the sale of the paintings goes to treatment and care of children through CURE Clubfoot Karnataka.
Iris’ work has already begun to have an impact. The opening of one of her exhibitions drew the attention of the State Commissioner for Disability, K.V. Rajanna, who praised both Iris and CURE for taking the initiative to treat children with clubfoot. Her exhibits have also been supported by the state government and the Rotary club.
Learn more about Iris Devadason’s works at http://iris-devadason.fineartamerica.com/.
Here’s a story about a family from India whose son, Mohit, was treated at a CURE Clubfoot Worldwide clinic.
Sunita, Mohit, Charan and the family cow
Charan and Sunita work hard to support their family. Charan makes a living as a farmer, while Sunita cares for their three children. This family also has a cow that earns them extra income through the milk she provides.
When their third child, Mohit, was born, the doctors immediately noticed the telltale signs of clubfoot. This condition is a common deformity that twists the feet.
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