The year 2026 marks two important milestones for STEPS Clubfoot Care. We celebrate 21
years of changing the lives of children born with clubfoot, while for our founder, Karen Mara Moss, it is 23 years since she returned to South Africa with a promise to Dr Ignaçio Ponseti to promote the use of the Ponseti method for South African babies born with clubfoot.
In 2006, after the first South African Ponseti training workshop, the Ponseti clubfoot clinic at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) was set up. Since then, STEPS and the dedicated team at CMJAH have worked side by side for more than two decades, supporting thousands of children and their families through the clubfoot treatment journey.
That partnership has come full circle. We are seeing the second generation of families
benefiting from the Ponseti method.
For many parents, hearing that their baby has clubfoot is unexpected and overwhelming.
But when Oabakwe Mfulwane was born with clubfoot, his mother, Lethabo, experienced
something quite different: relief.
Having been born with clubfoot herself, Lethabo already knew what lay ahead. She had experienced the Ponseti method as a child and knew that with early treatment, her son could look forward to a normal, active life. Supported by her family and friends, she faced the journey with confidence rather than fear.
At just nine days old, Oabakwe began treatment at the CMJAH clubfoot clinic. Maxeke
Academic Hospital. After five casts on both feet and a small tenotomy procedure, he
transitioned into his clubfoot brace, which he has worn faithfully ever since.
Today, Oabakwe is a busy, adventurous little boy who has never let clubfoot, or even his
casts, stop him from exploring the world around him.
Reflecting on their journey, Lethabo shares:
“Clubfoot treatment is an emotional journey, but you have to be patient. Trust the process, because in the end, you’ll see the results you’ve been hoping for.”
For Lethabo, watching her son grow up with the same opportunity she received is deeply meaningful. His journey, like his mother’s, is living proof that early diagnosis, effective
treatment and family support can change the course of a child’s life.
Stories like Oabakwe’s show the power of collaboration and partnership.
Over the past 21 years, we have worked alongside healthcare professionals, partner clinics and families to ensure that children born with clubfoot are not defined by a treatable condition. Together, we have built a sustainable and supported system that continues to grow, bringing hope to thousands of families across South Africa.
As we celebrate these milestones, we also celebrate every child who walks, runs and plays because someone believed they deserved the chance.
Here’s to the next generation, and to many more years of changing lives, one child, one
family and one step at a time.
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