Omarcito’s 1st birthday party for MiracleFeet
Everything was a surprise when Elvia Escalante and Omar Munguia saw their son Omarcito for the first time.
“We didn’t have a 3D ultrasound because we wanted to imagine his face,” Elvia explained.
He was born with sydndactyly, which is webbing of the fingers or toes, in his left hand. On top of that, he also had clubfoot and was born underweight. Elvia didn’t know how to handle this new reality, so she called her mother-in-law, remembering that her nephew had been born with clubfoot. Her mother-in-law reassured her that Omarcito’s clubfoot could be cured and that he would one day be able to walk. Elvia suddenly felt relieved and hopeful for the first time since her son’s birth.
Baby Omarcito
She and Omar took Omarcito to an orthopedic doctor to learn more and start his clubfoot treatment. Less than a year later, he is doing great. After experiencing what it was like to be a mother of a child with clubfoot, Elvia decided that she wanted to do something to raise money to help children who were not as fortunate as she was to receive successful treatment for her son. It is also very important to Elvia that awareness about clubfoot is elevated around the community, to save others from the stress she felt when Omarcito was born.
Elvia began to organize the fundraiser around Omarcito’s first birthday. “We were going to do something small with family and close friends,” Elvia said of the beginning stages of the party. She began researching and connecting with different organizations all over the world through Google and Facebook, but it wasn’t until a mother posted a video about MiracleFeet in a Facebook group that Elvia knew where she wanted to direct her fundraising. She liked that MiracleFeet helped children all over the world, and after learning more, she decided to turn her “small” project into something big.
Instead of buying gifts for him, Elvia asked her friends and family to donate to MiracleFeet in the hopes of raising awareness for the clubfoot and providing treatment to children all over the world.
Fundraising at the party.
“We ended up raising $1,385 at the party,” Elvia said. Those who could not attend the party also sent donations in and raised the total to $1,520. We at MiracleFeet are so proud of Elvia and the support of her friends and family. Thanks to them, six children will receive clubfoot treatment.
Today, Omarcito is an active, happy, and intelligent boy who is meeting all of his milestones and even learning sign language!
Omarcito with his father.
Elvia’s advice for other clubfoot parents?
“Focus on the child. It is overwhelming and everyone has a different opinion, so follow your heart and look for a good doctor and a support system that will help you get through it.”
We at MiracleFeet are so grateful for parents like Elvia and Omar who choose to so selflessly support other children and families affected by clubfoot!
