This Disability Awareness Month, Steps Clubfoot Care is proud to announce our new clubfoot ambassador, World Champion Athlete Mpumelelo Mhlongo. Born with amniotic band syndrome (ABS) and a deformed clubfoot, he is now a two-time Paralympian and multiple record holder (100m, 200m, Long Jump) in the T44 para-athletics category.
Mpumi, as he is affectionately known, is currently reading towards his doctorate in chemical engineering with a focus on waste to energy conversion.
In 2019, he was named as Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans and News24 100 Young Mandela but his proudest achievement has been the 2020 Western Cape Ministerial Commendation Award for Outstanding Achievements in the provincial sporting community.
He is a testament of resilience, driven by the heart of what is possible rather than circumstance.
Mpumi is excited to join a cause that resonates with his life, especially during Disability Awareness Month. He shared: “Besides being born with ABS and clubfoot, I am eager to support STEPS because our continent is one of old problems with a rising youth population that needs to truly apply themselves to change the narrative of previous paradigms.
One of those paradigms massively affects 80 million people living with a disability on the continent, where we are considered as the most vulnerable of our society.”
On how he’s going to get involved with Steps, he added, “I want to serve as a STEPS ally in the work they do to raise awareness and understanding of treatable birth defects such as clubfoot. Hopefully those kids will go on to show the world that you are not a product of your circumstance and the most vulnerable of society are best placed to show us the most unimaginable possibilities of our futures.”
Steps founder Karen Mara Moss, whose own son was born with clubfoot and successfully treated with the Ponseti Method, is thrilled about the new partnership: “We are delighted to have Mpumi join us to help raise awareness that clubfoot is a treatable birth defect. Clubfoot does not need to be a lifelong disability. This is an important message for Disability Month. We work hard to remove the stigma of clubfoot, to reassure parents and caregivers of children born with clubfoot that they can lead fully active lives without any restriction. Mpumi is an inspiration to us, he is a shining example of how clubfoot can be overcome and we are looking forward to working with him and learning from him about his experiences. Successful clubfoot treatment is a story of hope that we want to share with all communities.”
Become a clubfoot champion like Mpumi by making a donation during Disability Awareness Month. Every R2500.00 donated will directly support another child to walk.
