“Walk for Life” is an initiative of The Glencoe Foundation (www.glencoefoundation.org) for the clubfoot infants of Bangladesh. It’s the National Club Foot Program of Bangladesh, which provides treatment to children under the age of three by the Ponseti Method; a technique considered a gold standard of treating club feet children in developed countries. Since 2009, To provide treatment to clubfoot children Walk for Life set up a network of 33 Ponseti Clubfoot clinics (including medical college hospitals, district hospitals and non Govt. hospitals) in 30 districts all over the country. As a result, no child has to travel more than 50km to get this treatment and expanding to meet the need for bringing these children under treatment at earliest possible age. For more: www.walkforlife.org.au

1. Supporting and initiating health
programs in Bangladesh since 2004

2. Bangladesh
2009
Tragedy for up to 5000 children, and their families,
born with clubfeet every year.
Some surgery and Ponseti service– very fragmented.
Huge numbers risk developing neglected clubfeet

3. What does the future hold?

4. So many untreated feet.
Dr. Rouf at Jessore Medical College Hospital, 2009.

5. Fast forward
to June 2015

6. 89
1530
2427
2846
3267
3513
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
Year 2009 Year 2010 Year 2011 Year 2012 Year 2013 Year 2014
Fast forward to June 2015

7. “It is, the most successful clubfoot program I have seen
worldwide.” Frederick R. Dietz, MD,
Professor of Orthopedic Surgery
Lets be proud of our achievement

8. Challenge 1
Teach the Ponseti Method
Focusing on a multi-disciplinary
team approach.
•Orthopedic Surgeon
• Nurse/Physiotherapist
• Medical Assistant
• Parents

9. Add in Committed
Volunteer teachers
From 6 nations
26 visits
between
2009 and now.

11. The Ponseti salute at Khulna on the day Prof Ponseti died.

12. Challenge 2
Ponseti training in
Government Hospitals.
Open clinics.
The key:
train and service delivery at same time

14. SignedMOU – GFand Government.

15. Clinic opening by mother with clubfoot child

16. Walk forLife Clinic Days

17. Seminar on
Successful Clubfoot Management to Prevent Disability in Bangladesh

18. In addition
12 New
clinics
2014

19. Turn off the tap and unleash
As Bangladesh orthopedic
surgeons become trainers
Challenge 3

20. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Krishna Priya Das, BSMMU and Assoc.
Prof. Dr. Sayed Ahmed, RMCH at training workshop.

21. “is our program. It’s our
responsibility to take care of it.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr.
Krishna Priya
Das,
Orthopedic
Surgery
Department,
BSMMU
Quote:

24. We estimate
85 000 casts
25 000 braces

25. Challenge 4
Build awareness

26. Sign at every government hospital

27. MOU signed with
government :To
promote clubfoot
awareness in
12000 Community
Health Clinics.
Provided hot line
number gives many
patients.

28. 10
4
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
2009-2010 2013-2014
Age (Month)
Age
(Month)
Really important: average age of patient keeps
dropping!

29. Parent support groups.
Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember;
involve me and I’ll understand. Old Chinese proverb
Challenge 5

30. The Steenbeek Brace
apologies to Michiel!
Challenge 6

32. Challenge 7
To transfer information world wide
by publishing research.

33. Challenge 8
Instruct the
child they must
tell their
parents: “I
must wear my
brace every
night ”!!

34. The reward. Transforming Lives !
Rokeya

35. Tamim

36. Momin

37. Koli

38. Liza

39. Kawsar

40. Arafat

41. Celebrating World Clubfoot Day in
Dhaka, Bangladesh on 2014

42. Celebrating World Clubfoot Day in
Dhaka, Bangladesh on 2015. In addition 10
other Walk for Life clinics around the country.

43. Its all worthwhile!
Many many people are contributing to the
success of Walk for Life.
A lot of these people are here today.
There are many thousands of children who would
like to say “Thank you”