An awareness meeting was held in Cumilla to help children born with clubfoot overcome physical and social hurdles and step into a normal life. Under the ‘Walk for Life’ project, the special ‘Parents Group Meeting’ took place on Thursday noon at the Orko Care Center in the city, a press release said.
Implemented by the non-governmental organization United Purpose with financial support from MiracleFeet, the session brought together 20 parents—12 female and 8 males—of 10 children currently receiving treatment. Sumit Banik, Field Coordinator of United Purpose, led the meeting as the chief facilitator, while Md. Touhidul Islam, a Ponseti practitioner and physiotherapist at Orko Care Center, provided technical support.
The meeting opened the floor for parents to share the practical, everyday challenges they face in ensuring regular treatment for their children. The discussions highlighted common hurdles like transportation difficulties, financial limits, and the heavy burden of negative social attitudes.
Addressing the parents, Sumit Banik offered a message of hope and reassurance. “The Ponseti method is a globally recognized, safe, and effective treatment for clubfoot. Our physiotherapists are following this exact method to provide care,” he said. “If started at the right time, children fully recover. They can stand on their own feet, run, and go to school just like any other normal child. There is no reason to lose hope. However, the biggest architects of this treatment’s success are not the doctors or health workers, but you—the parents.”
The technical steps of the Ponseti method were explained in simple terms, with a strong warning that stopping treatment halfway could cause the child’s foot to curve back again.
Physiotherapist Md. Touhidul Islam emphasized the critical need for consistency and family support. “In this long journey of clubfoot treatment, the love and care of the entire family is the best medicine. After the plaster is removed, there is no alternative to doing the right exercises and wearing the special brace or shoes,” he noted. “Often, out of pity for a crying child or seeing slight improvement, families leave the treatment incomplete. But remember, a little negligence or lack of awareness can put your beloved child’s future at risk.”
During the open discussion, parents expressed their frustrations over the superstitions that still exist in society. Many shared the harsh reality that mothers of children with clubfoot are frequently subjected to baseless blame and hurtful comments. Despite these challenges, the parents pledged to ignore the societal negativity and remain steadfast in continuing their children’s medical care.
The session concluded by outlining the ongoing support United Purpose offers to secure a brighter future for these children. The ‘Walk for Life’ project has long been working across Bangladesh to raise awareness, break social stigmas, and ensure modern medical care for clubfoot.
