A BRIEF HISTORY OF CaCAI

About Clubfoot Correction Awareness Initiative, CaCAI

Virtually in all developing countries, the most pressing human need is the abject lack of unlimited access to good healthcare. Thousands die of treatable illnesses, while those that manage to survive, more often than not become physically debilitated. The largest population in the developing countries is ignorant or has scant information about most illness conditions afflicting them. With this ignorance, people are left to conjure up explanations about the causes of certain diseases, and very often attributing them to witchcraft, curses or other traditional myths. This leads to the stigmatization of the affected members of community leading to their seclusion if not expulsion from the mainstream society. 

It is against this similar background that gave the ground for the founding of CaCAI. Its President and Executive Director, Jennifer Wambui Karanja was born with a clubfoot on her left leg which was a beginning of a series of painful operations, six in total.This condition was unheard of and was taken as any other form of disability. Her parents desperately looked for medical interventions unsuccessfully since there were no specialized clubfoot correction wards in public hospitals.

Jennifer was subjected to painful surgeries that only ended up in exacerbating her condition as well as hampering her studies in school. When everyone had despaired, a knight in shining armor came in form of a family friend, which was a major turnaround in Jennifer’s clubfoot condition. She was referred to AIC CURE Kijabe, known then as Bethany kids where she received a specialized treatment for clubfoot. This gave her the hope of leading a normal life just like her friends in school. She was now able to walk without limping too much as was the case before the treatment, and her shoes could now last longer.

One thing remains clear in her mind today after digesting useful information about clubfoot; that if there was an early specialized clubfoot correction, her condition would have been corrected through a pain free method and her left leg would have been far much better than it is today. Today, she can only wear boots since her left foot cannot walk on heeled shoes. She admires women in heels but she painfully knows that she cannot wear them. A closer look of her walking style will notice a limping. She knows this. Jennifer decided not to let any other person go through what she underwent or miss what she misses today. To achieve this, she founded CaCAI. Against all odds!

CaCAI’s core mission is to raise awareness on the need for early correction of clubfoot. Early intervention is pain- free, inexpensive and effective. CaCAI roots for the Ponseti Method. As the brains behind the Ponseti Method, Ignacio Ponseti, M.D. puts it, "Parents of infants born with clubfeet may be reassured that their baby, if otherwise normal, when treated by expert hands will have normal looking feet with normal function for all practical purposes. The well treated clubfoot is no handicap and is fully compatible with normal, active life."

The majority of clubfeet can be corrected in infancy in about six to eight weeks with the proper gentle manipulations and plaster casts. The treatment is based on a sound understanding of the functional anatomy of the foot and of the biological response of muscles, ligaments and bone to corrective position changes gradually obtained by manipulation and casting.

Our Slogan is;

All is well with my feet!

Our Mission is to;

Raise awareness on the need for early detection and correction of clubfoot through the Ponseti Method of clubfoot intervention.

Our Objectives are;      

  

•      Disseminate all the useful information about clubfoot to people. The information includes clubfoot causes and the best correction methods

•         Sensitize people on the importance of early detection and correction of clubfoot

•  Execute awareness campaigns that will debunk the myth that clubfoot is caused by curses, witchcraft and other traditional beliefs

•       Campaign for the Ponseti Method of clubfoot correction

•   Liaise with organization with similar objectives to raise awareness on the advantages of early clubfoot correction via the Ponseti Method

•     Look for donors to fund the full/partial medication of indentified needy clubfooted individuals

•  Join hands with celebrities that had suffered or had/have a personal experience with clubfoot to raise awareness about clubfoot as well visiting clubfoot victims to motivate them

   

•         Inspire clubfooted individuals by showing them success stories of other clubfooted personalities

 Kindly join us in making  individuals born with clubfoot condtion smile and say, ALL IS WELL WITH MY FEET!