We chatted with Sabriel’s mom, Netsai Myamukunda about their clubfoot journey. Her son, Sabriel is currently being treated at the Tygerberg Hospital clufoot clinic in the Western Cape. They both travel almost an hour and a half to make it to their clubfoot appointment.
Tell us about your clubfoot journey?
On the day my child was born I could see that his feet were not right. The team at Stellenbosch assisted me and told me to go to the Tygerberg Clubfoot Clinic. It was a very stressful time for me, thinking my child was not going to walk or play. It was days of crying.
After 14 days, I went to the clubfoot clinic at Tygerberg hospital and met Jane the Steps clinic coordinator and the Tygerberg Clinic clubfoot team.
It took three months to treat my child, now he is able to crawl and is trying to stand. I cannot believe they are the same feet that my child was born with. May God bless Steps and the clubfoot team!
We still go for check-ups every 3 months, my child is wearing a clubfoot brace and he has just been given a bigger size at Tygerberg clinic. I have another appointment in three months, maybe by then he will need a bigger clubfoot brace. I am happy to visit every three months until my child is four, then he can finish wearing the braces.
How did Steps help your clubfoot journey?
They had to wipe all the tears and the worry out of me by counselling, comforting and welcoming me with so much warmth that makes me happy for the rest of my life. I was so happy that they told me that they could fix my child’s feet and that my child would not be defined by clubfoot.
What advice would you give to parents whose child was diagnosed with clubfoot?
My advice to parents with a baby born with clubfoot is not to worry like I did. I thought my child would never be able to walk. Have faith in the clubfoot clinic team and listen to what they say. Come to every appointment and your child’s feet will be perfect.
