Treating a child with clubfoot impacts more than just the child. It impacts the entire community. Here Chimaine is surrounded by family, parent advisor and others in celebration of her healing.
Chimaine in Burkina Faso
When Chimaine was born with clubfoot, her parents didn’t know what to do. Bali and Appoline felt ashamed and alone because they had never seen this foot condition before.
Once the nurses who had participated in clubfoot training told them where to go for help, these parents wasted no time in getting their precious daughter to the clinic. But when they arrived, the doors were closed. It was the Christmas holiday, and none of the clinicians worked that day. They had come a long way only to be turned away.
But Pastor Karim Yo heard about their visit. He serves as the parent advisor at the Hope Walks partner clinic. He didn’t want them to be discouraged and not come back, so he visited this family in their home before their first appointment to encourage them to return in the new year.
This extra caring is an example of what sets Hope Walks apart from the healthcare most families are familiar with. It was just what was needed to ensure Chimaine’s parents would start and continue treatment. They have yet to miss any appointments, although getting to the clinic is challenging.
“We suffered, and we were ashamed when we saw Chimaine’s feet at birth,” Bali and Appoline said. “But now we are in good hands. Our daughter’s feet are corrected. We thank God and the donors.”
