MiracleFeet Welcomes Three Decorated Athlete Ambassadors
Three decorated athletes – Paralympic High Jump Gold Medalist Jonathan Broom-Edwards, Paralympic Table Tennis Bronze Medalist Aaron McKibbin, and Swiss Olympian and World Champion climber Petra Klingler – joined MiracleFeet as our first official ambassadors.
All three athletes were born with clubfoot and received treatment as children. They have since gone on to excel in their sporting careers, leading them each to international accolades. These three are now turning their attention to raising clubfoot awareness, supporting MiracleFeet’s life-changing work, as well as helping debunk common misconceptions that exist around the condition.
Meet the MiracleFeet Ambassadors
Jonathan Broom-Edwards was born with congenital clubfoot in his left foot; however, this didn’t stop him from pursuing the Olympic podium. After watching the London 2012 Summer Paralympics, Jonathan realized that he was eligible as a para-sport competitor and was soon after classified as a T44 athlete. He went on to win silver at the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and took home gold at last year’s Tokyo Paralympics.
Learn more about Jonathan here.
Aaron Mckibbin underwent years of corrective surgery for his clubfoot, starting at just one week old. Growing up, he spent much of his free time playing tennis before finding a passion for table tennis at school. Following years of dedicated practice, Aaron went on to earn bronze in the men’s team table tennis at the 2012 Paralympics in London and the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, and then once again in Tokyo in 2021.
Learn more about Aaron here.
Petra Klingler is a Swiss Olympic climber and bouldering World Champion, and accomplished ice climber. As a child, Petra remembers wearing special shoes and a brace at night (following casts as an infant) to treat her clubfoot. By becoming an Ambassador for MiracleFeet, she hopes to better educate the world about the condition, as well as inspire children born with it to push boundaries and pursue their passions – just like she did.
Learn more about Petra here.
Elevating Our Mission
Clubfoot is a congenital birth anomaly which affects one in every 600 children, making it one of the most common birth anomalies in the world. In countries with advanced health systems, the condition is almost always diagnosed via ultrasound and treated shortly after birth using the Ponseti method. Sadly, 85% of children born with clubfoot in low- or middle-income countries lack access to treatment, and therefore face an increased risk of lifelong pain, stigma, and exclusion.
MiracleFeet is bringing this low-cost, nonsurgical standard of care to high-need countries worldwide. This highly effective treatment provides lifelong mobility, independence, and opportunity for children affected by this common condition. Treatment costs less than $500 on average and is provided for free or at very low cost to families who need it.
“There is a real lack of awareness of the clubfoot disability worldwide,” said Jonathan. “I was fortunate to receive treatment for my clubfoot when I was young, and I have gone on to become Paralympic High Jump Champion. My personal motto is to champion resilience. By becoming an ambassador for MiracleFeet, I hope to inspire those with talipes to be resilient and to chase their dreams as I have done.”
“I’m honoured to be an Ambassador for MiracleFeet,” comments Aaron. “Growing up with the condition, I can relate so much to the families and children going through treatment and trying to make sense of everything. I am excited to help raise awareness for clubfoot and show that it doesn’t have to be a barrier. With treatment, children born with the condition can go on to achieve their dreams. If I can impact just one person’s life positively then it’s time well spent.”
“If I had been born 100 years earlier or in another country, my story would have been very different,” shares Petra. “Today, thanks to the treatment I received as a kid and the support of my family, I am pursuing my passion and excelling as a professional climber. But this is not self-evident. One in every 800 children are born with clubfoot, and I’m proud to support MiracleFeet in their mission to ensure every child receives proper care so they can live an active and healthy life.”
“We are beyond delighted to have such talented and inspirational Ambassadors,” says Chesca Colloredo-Mansfeld, CEO of MiracleFeet. “Jonathan, Aaron, and Petra have such important and inspiring stories to share. With their support, we hope to raise much needed awareness of clubfoot, a condition which is currently neglected in the global health agenda, as well as address health and disability inequality to build a more inclusive society.”
Tremendous thanks to our ambassadors for sharing their experiences and supporting our mission.
