Anjara holds her baby boy at his first treatment appointment in Ghana
Words of Encouragement
Would you like to share a few words of encouragement to Isaac and his family? Simply email us at TheCrew@hopewalks.org. We will gather all the comments and share them with the country program staff, who will then pass them on to the family.
Kidus in Ethiopia – Update 1
A Neighbor’s Story Brings Hope
I want to introduce you to someone special: Kidus, a baby boy from Ethiopia who just started his clubfoot treatment journey a few weeks ago.
Kidus is the firstborn in his family. His mom, Selam, is home with him full-time, and his dad works as a driver, which means he’s often on the road. Kidus was only a few days old when his family discovered his clubfoot. In fact, his own grandmother was the first person to see his feet, and she was so overwhelmed that she fainted. His family had never heard of a baby being born with clubfoot. They knew people who walked differently, but they thought it happened later in life, maybe from an injury. Finding out that Kidus was born this way left them shocked and scared, not knowing what came next.
Here’s the part that gets me every time: hope showed up through a familiar story. A local medical professional, whose own child had clubfoot, heard about Kidus and stepped in. He didn’t just explain that clubfoot is treatable. He sent his wife and his own child, now walking and running with zero problems, to visit Kidus at home. Selam and her family got to see it with their own eyes. That visit changed everything. It gave them the hope and the direction they needed to get Kidus into care.
Selam has strong family support around her, which matters a lot since her husband travels so much for work. She’s hopeful, but she’s also honest that she worries, like any mom would, about whether Kidus will be in pain during treatment or how he’ll feel afterward. She just wants him to grow up healthy and active, with the same shot at a normal life as any other kid.
That’s where you come in. Because of you, Kidus is already getting the care he needs, at a critical age when treatment works best. We’ll keep you posted as he progresses.
Thank you for walking with Kidus and his family.
Scott Reichenbach
President & Co-Founder
(Above) Kidus at his first appointment before treatment started and wearing his first set of casts.
Kidus in Ethiopia – Update 2
Overcoming Scares & Rapid Progress
Last month, I introduced you to Kidus, the baby boy from Ethiopia who had just started his clubfoot treatment. I’m happy to report he’s doing great, and I want to tell you about it.
Remember Kidus’s grandmother, the one who fainted when she first saw his feet? She has watched his progress with her own eyes, and she told our team, “We were very surprised to see such a big change in his feet in such a short time. It gave us so much hope and made us very happy to see how well he was responding to the treatment.” His family is thrilled with how quickly things are moving. They saw progress much faster than they ever expected.
That’s a big shift from where they started. When Kidus’s family first came to the clinic, they weren’t sure treatment would really work for him. They had seen other children get care, but it’s hard not to wonder, “What will it be like for our baby?” Those worries began to fade as his feet changed.
It hasn’t all been smooth, though. After Kidus got his third cast, his foot swelled up, and the family was shocked and worried that something might be seriously wrong. Thankfully, the swelling lasted only about a week. Elili, his parent advisor, stayed in touch by phone, answered their questions and helped calm their fears. The family also had to take extra care of his cast, which was stressful. With Elili’s support, they kept going.
Not many people outside the family know about Kidus’s condition yet. His close relatives know, and they are happy and grateful to see how far he has come. Kidus had his last appointment on Sept. 23, and his next one is Oct. 20. We’ll keep you posted.
None of this happens without you. Your monthly support is the reason Kidus has a team in his corner, a parent advisor on the other end of the phone when his family needs reassurance, and a real shot at a healthy, active childhood. I’m so grateful you’re walking with him.
Thank you for being part of Kidus’s story.
Scott Reichenbach
President & Co-Founder
Kidus in the arms of his grandmother at a follow-up casting appointment
Kidus in Ethiopia – Update 3
Straight Feet & A Mother’s Joy
I have some wonderful news to share about Kidus, and it’s the final update on his treatment.
If you’ve been following along, you know Kidus was a newborn baby when his family first came to the clinic in early August, 2026. His mom, Selam, was nervous about what he might go through. Last month, Kidus moved to the next phase of his treatment, a tenotomy followed by three weeks in a cast. After the swelling scare in his cast the month before, his family worried this step might bring more trouble. It didn’t. Kidus had a good month, and his foot healed well.
On Nov. 3, the cast came off, and Kidus’s foot is now straight. Clinicians fitted him with a brace to hold the correction, and he’ll wear it for the next few years.
“Seeing my son’s foot straight and healed fills my heart with happiness and gratitude,” Selam says.
Selam and Kidus moved to the city to be closer to the hospital, so not many people knew about his condition. But those who did were amazed by how quickly his foot changed. “We were all surprised to see such a big change in such a short time,” Selam says.
Selam says this experience has changed how she sees people with disabilities. When she meets someone with a disability now, she thinks about what Kidus’s life might have looked like without treatment. She feels deep sympathy for them, and she’s grateful he got care.
The parent advisor stayed with the family throughout. By explaining each step and checking in often, the parent advisor eased their worries and gave them hope.
Selam’s hopes for her son are simple. “All I have ever wished and prayed for is to see my son run, play, and go to school just like other children,” she says. “I look forward to the day I see him take his first steps with his corrected feet.”
Thank you for walking alongside Kidus and his family. You helped make this possible.
Scott Reichenbach
President & Co-Founder
Kidus now with straight feet after weeks of casts. His future is bright now.