Dani’s Story
In April of 2017 Dani was six years old. He had never walked nor had he ever seen a doctor. He was born with a severe club foot on the right. On the left, mother nature begrudgingly gave him only a thin rounded stump, ending a few inches below the knee. But he adapted and, crawling sideways like a crab, he scurried across any surface with unbelievable speed and agility. Notice in the picture that his mother had reinforced his pant legs with canvas to provide some level of protection to his legs as he crawled on the ground.
Operation Rainbow surgeons were able to correct most of the distortion to Dani’s club foot. But prosthetic services are outside of the scope of Operation Rainbow’s mission. Sandy and Steve Herrick, who were translators on this trip, decided to take up the challenge to find a way to secure ongoing prosthetic care for Dani.
Within a year, an energetic six-year old did what one would expect, he literally wore out his first prosthesis!! So back to the prosthetic clinic for a new, updated leg. In January of 2019 Dani is delighted with his new prosthesis:
With his new prosthesis, Dani casually negotiates the rugged path to his home. The prosthesis appears to be more dependable than his natural leg:
“It takes a village” . . . doctors from Operation Rainbow, a local prosthetist, Rotary Club volunteers and generous donors to FAKS have pulled together. They gave Dani the miracle of walking, running, going to school . . . a future. Another “Functionally Active Kid”.
In August of 2018, Dr. Mosher and Steve Herrick traveled to Dani’s home in a remote, mountain village. Click HERE to read Dr. Mosher’s account of that trip.
By December 2022, Dani has gone through multiple liners and adjustments to his prosthesis as he grows. He’s attending school and playing soccer. He is so comfortable with his device that even dancing at a village festival in no obstacle. He’s become a Functionally Active Kid.
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