Clubfoot Awareness Walk – My Journey around the Jurassic Coast
My Story
My name is Ryan Eddowes, I was born with Bilateral Talipes Equinovarus also known as clubfoot. Clubfoot is a lower limb condition that affects the shape of your feet, including your bones and tendons. Around 1 in 1000 babies are born with this condition in the UK every year with nearly 200,000 babies born worldwide.
Throughout my life, I’ve had multiple operations to try and help my condition; spending a lot of my time in plaster casts, on crutches and in wheelchairs. Many adults living with clubfoot, including myself, cannot walk or stand for prolonged periods of time, which affects our working lives, our mental health, and relationships. Currently, clubfoot is not recognised as a physical disability. This means adults with clubfoot cannot apply for financial support, blue badge status, and many other vital things that only physical disabled people are entitled to. This is something I want to change.
The Event
I'm attempting to walk the full length (95 miles) of the Jurassic Coast to raise awareness of Clubfoot and to campaign for this condition to be recognised as a physical disability. This will be the biggest challenge I have ever taken on in my life but will be the most rewarding. I will start in the last week in May and will end in the first week of June of 2022, to coincide with Clubfoot Awareness Week.
Sponsorship
You can show your support by sponsoring me. The funds will go to two charities:
Steps Charity Worldwide: Steps partners with health national systems and communities around the world to raise or, where necessary, establish medical standards, care and emotional support giving everybody the opportunity to walk without pain. Steps run a helpline for affected families, produces guidance for parents, adults, and healthcare professionals, and helps families and adults connect with others in similar situations to provide emotional support and share their experiences.
Save the Rhino International, is a charity that's fighting to conserve and protect the 5 species of rhino that roam the Earth. I was told many years ago working with animals would not be possible due to my condition, but it was rhinos that inspired me to become a qualified Zoologist. I now work at West Midlands Safari Park as one of their VIP guides and introduce guests to the Park's Indian Rhinos and Southern White Rhinos.
Your support would mean so much to me and to others with Clubfoot, so any donation would make a big difference!
Our Charities
