Anjani spent her entire life living
with the pain and challenges of clubfoot. Since childhood, her twisted feet had
caused her not just physical discomfort, but also deep emotional scars. She
endured teasing, isolation, and constant reminders that she was “different.”
So, when her daughter, Ansi, was
born with the same condition, Anjani’s heart broke. She knew all too well what
this meant, pain, shame, loneliness. Especially for a girl, she feared, life
would be cruel.
But this time, destiny had a
different plan. When Anjani heard that free clubfoot treatment was provided at
the Basti District Hospital, a spark of hope returned to her eyes. Determined
to change her daughter’s future, she took public transport from her neighboring
district to reach the clinic.
With tears in her eyes, she said,
“Ansi will not suffer like I did. As
a child, I lived with pain and loneliness. Other children never played with me.
My father tried so hard, but my feet could never be corrected.”
Just when things were improving, the
COVID-19 pandemic hit, and all clinics had to shut down. The team called to
guide her on how to safely remove her daughter’s cast at home and assured her
that treatment would continue once clinics reopened.
Still, fear lingered in Anjani’s
heart. “What if the treatment stops midway?
What if my daughter ends up like me?” she often wondered.
Through regular phone counseling and
encouragement, the Anushkaa team helped her regain confidence. When the clinic
reopened, Anjani wasted no time.
With no public transport available,
she asked her brother to take her by motorcycle a 170 km round trip over rough
rural roads just so her daughter could continue her treatment.
On her most recent visit, Anjani’s
eyes sparkled with joy and pride. Smiling, she said, “Ansi will not grow up
with disability anymore. Her story will be different from mine.”
Anjani’s journey is not just about a
mother’s courage, it is a story of resilience, hope, and love that conquers
fear.
This is a story of a mother’s strength, a promise fulfilled, and a new dawn of possibilities.
