Written by guest contributor Debby Pranungsari, Project Manager, YAKKUM

One-year-old Elhan laughs as he toddles across the porch, gripping his father’s hand, his tiny feet confidently padding across the ground. It’s an ordinary moment, and yet for his mother, Murtini, it feels like a miracle. Her voice trembles with emotion when she talks about what it could have been like for Elhan had he not received treatment for his clubfoot.   

From the minute he was born, there were surprises. When Murtini discovered he was born with clubfoot, she overheard family and friends sharing myths and misconceptions. Some whispered that her husband’s job—selling fried chicken—had somehow caused the condition while others said it was caused by being too active during pregnancy. But Murtini wasn’t interested in superstition. She wanted answers—and a solution. 

Hope came from an unexpected source: her eldest child, a university student, who learned about clubfoot treatment while away at college. When Elhan was just seven days old, the family took him to Hidayatullah Hospital to begin treatment. For six weeks, they returned weekly for new casts, watching his foot slowly transform. By the end of the casting stage, Elhan’s feet were straight and strong. 

But just as they began to celebrate this progress, delays in getting a properly fitted brace caused a heartbreaking relapse. His foot began to turn inward again. “Did we go through all of this for nothing?” Murtini remembers thinking. 

Refusing to give up, the family connected with a field officer from MiracleFeet’s local partner, YAKKUM. The medical team helped restart casting and, this time, guided them through the full Ponseti process—including the critical bracing stage. 

Starting casting over again was not without its challenges, but Elhan’s parents were determined. They were also encouraged by other parents at the clinic who shared stories about their own journeys and all the ways treatment was transforming their lives.  

With his new bright purple brace, Elhan was all smiles—eager to wear his shoes and exceedingly cooperative when it was time to wear the brace. 

The whole experience inspired Murtini to share her story with other parents who were just beginning the process. She emphasised the importance of using the brace to maintain the correction and the value of consistency and dedication, just as other parents had emphasized to her after Elhan’s relapse. 

Murtini thinks of Elhan as a special gift from God whose very existence has strengthened her family’s bonds. They are all rooting for him as he takes his first steps, proud and full of hope for the road ahead.