Ponseti Programme

The event last year saw over 50 Doctors from across China attended the Symposium which we organised along with the Xin Hua Hospital and Jose Morcuende of the Iowa clinic.

4 Doctors from the US attended and ran a number of theory and practical sessions over the three days. The International faculty were Jose Morcuende; Matt Dobbs; David Spiegel and Jay Albright.

Several children were treated during the workshop, including the steps sponsored child. We christened him "Adam". He is from a very poor family in Jiangshi province. We were able to pay for the families trip to Shanghai (about a day and half by train), accommodation in Shanghai and the treatment for his clubfoot using the money raised for the STEPS Jane Bettridge Fellowship Fund. Later we were also asked to pay for some further unrelated treatment to his left foot which Jeff and I agreed to pay.

I gave a short speech at the opening plenary of the Symposium and also sponsored the opening dinner in part funded by cash given to me for the marathon but also with a generous donation from Briggs and Stratton.

Following the symposium we had a strategy meeting with key senior medical people, the 4 visiting doctors and other parties in which we agreed a way forward for the treatment and funding of a China wide programme. Since then Jeff has been active working with the Iowa clinic and interfacing with various potential providers of funds and we have formed the International Ponseti Foundation (China) as a vehicle to manage the funding of treatment programmes.

Ian Douglas