Various foundations, civil initiatives, parental support groups were created worldwide to support the Ponseti treatment but more importantly to support and help each other.
However we know very little about people who were treated when the Ponseti Method was not an available treatment yet.
While social media has its fair share of problems, it also provides a lot of opportunities to connect online with people who have the same interests or are struggling with similar problems as we are. That’s how I came across Scott Davidson who is trying to do some good for the clubfoot community as an adult. I am going to introduce his story to you in this interview.
Tell us a little bit about your journey. How did it start?
My name is Scott Davidson. I currently live in Las Vegas, NV in the United States. I am a father of three incredible children (Kate, Jane, and Shay). I am an adventure athlete, I produce and host Living Adaptive and This is a True Story, publish writings and I happen to be born with a particularly severe version of bilateral clubfoot. Doctors attempted to correct my clubfoot via various methods including Ponseti but found little success. My doctor wasn’t well trained in Ponseti and he moved forward with really intense post-medial release surgeries on both legs. After my surgeries I had casts and orthotics for a period of time. I didn’t have more surgeries or castings on my feet after early childhood.
How was it for you as a child that you were different than the others your age?
Childhood was really difficult yet incredibly rewarding. What made my life different from other children my age is that my body looked different and this brought a tremendous amount of unwanted attention. Also, I lived in uncertainty, not knowing when I might lose my mobility. Some doctors said I wouldn’t walk as an adult and they discouraged me from playing sports and even going on simple hikes. I dismissed those doctors and played sports and hiked anyway. In fact, I played hard. I cherished each day of my mobility. I even ran until my feet bled on countless occasions. I learned to adapt and thrive despite the adversity I faced. Most of my peers didn’t know nor could they understand. I am blessed for these experiences. This helped me develop empathy. I was given the gift of clubfoot, archaic surgeries, intense bullying and more so I could show myself that I am strong and I can break the barriers. I am so blessed to be born with a disability.
Looking back now, what do you think, were you really an outsider, or in fact it was the difficulty accepting your condition that made you distance yourself from the people around you?
I was definitely an outsider. I wanted to fit in so I hid my legs as often as possible. I wore pants in hot weather and even wore extra socks and pants to hide the thinness of my legs and the scars. When I wore shorts I was bullied for my appearance. When I ran I was mocked based on my stride. I was bullied so intensely that I wanted the world to stop and provide me a break from the pain. I accepted my clubfoot, but it was my peers and adults that did not.
What was the decisive moment in your life? What resulted in you changing your approach?
I’ve had multiple transformative experiences related to clubfoot. For instance, as a child I decided that my disability is also my super power. If I could beat an able bodied peer on the field then I can beat my peers anywhere else, and this included in the classroom.
The most transformative experience of my life outside of becoming a father is when I turned on the microphone and shared my story. By sharing my story I’ve learned to love my life with CTEV, I learned to value myself as a whole, I found some of my closest friends, I’ve partnered up with the most adaptive people on earth, I learned feeling bad for myself only slowed me down, I learned that I am unstoppable and I learned that I can adapt and thrive despite any adversity I face.
Your condition can be categorised as fairly complicated and special. Are there any further surgeries awaiting? What impact will it have on your future?
Nem lesz több műtétem. Úgy döntöttem, hogy a kerekesszék lesz a sorsom. Mikor ez megtörténik, akkor a legjobb kerekesszékes sportoló leszek az egész világon. Bármi is történjen csak előre fogok tekinteni és megállás nélkül küzdeni.
What role does sports play in your life? What sports did you try and which one made you feel most complete/feel the best?
Growing up I played most major sports and this includes football, basketball, baseball and more. I stopped playing some of these sports because the pain was pretty bad. During my childhood the treatments were archaic so there weren’t many options. Nowadays, I compete in everything. I compete against individuals with no physical issues and I win and this includes running sports and OCRs. I even achieved second place in the world with my team in 2019. I chose running because it’s the greatest challenge to a clubfooter. In the past year, I received custom dynamic AFOs from Cornerstone Prosthetics and Orthotics, the best clinic on earth, and they help protect my feet. I am so grateful because mobility means so much to me. As a child I ran until my feet bled and I still push the envelope today. I won’t stop.
You are an outspoken, easy going and very approachable guy so I hope you don’t mind me asking a few slightly personal questions. How did your situation impact making friends or dating for example?
CTEV never impacted making friends or dating. In fact, I think CTEV helped. I believe that others realize that I understand suffering and they know that I care. Dating life was normal. I don’t know why my dating life went well because I am weird looking, immature and impulsive at times lol. Maybe that works in my favor.
What about kids, did you have any fears that your own children could have clubfoot as well?
I didn’t know that CTEV is genetic. I just thought CTEV was positional. We have no CTEV history in my family so I didn’t worry about my children acquiring clubfoot. As my knowledge has grown, I now wonder.
What do you do to help and build the clubfoot community around you?
I receive lots of direct messages from those with clubfoot. Most times the individual messaging me is suffering. Some have even lost all hope and don’t want to live. Knowing that so many are suffering gives me a drive to show others that clubfoot isn’t a curse but to me a blessing. What I share with the clubfoot world and everyone else is that to me, adversities are opportunities to grow. In this life, I have learned that negative phenomena will happen and this is often beyond our control. We have the choice to either move backwards, stay neutral, or move forward. I’ve tried the first two options and nothing positive has come from it. Now, I choose to move forward and also recognize the positives from CTEV. For example, without the pain in my limbs and losing the ability to walk on occasion, I wouldn’t understand the human condition of aging and disability and the need for advocacy, inclusion, and accessibility. Without the experiences of bullying, I wouldn’t understand the hurt and the importance of empathy and love over hate. Without being born different, I wouldn’t have created my other platform Living Adaptive. From this platform, I’ve met many amazing adaptive individuals and they’re changing the world. If I wasn’t born with clubfoot then none of this happens, so I try to empower and build the clubfoot community so we all realize our potential.
How did Living Adaptive come to life and what does it stand for?
I started Living Adaptive for three reasons,
1. I found power in stories. I wanted to empower myself and those struggling.
2. I sought a creative project that fit my passion and made me really happy to put in an intense amount of work.
3. I was not adapting. By building this platform, I learned from the most adaptive individuals on earth. I basically received a cheat sheet on how to live an amazing life despite the adversity I faced. Hence the name, Living Adaptive.
‘This is a True Story Podcast’ launched in 2021, can you tell us a bit more about it?
A “This is a True Story Podcast” (Ez egy igaz történet) igazi jellemformáló történeteket és ötleteket dolgoz fel. A jellemformáló történeteket sokan mutatják be: álmodozók, kalandorok, a jelentőségteljesek, az átlagosak és sokan mások. Vannak “ötlet részek” is, ezek olyan szösszenetek amelyek középpontjában a tudatos életmód, önfejlesztés és egyéb jellemformáló dolgok állnak, melyeket te magad is beépíthetsz az életedbe, akár azonnal. A “This is a True Story” tehát felváltva mutat be vagy jellemformáló vagy ötlet részeket.
Climbing is your passion and you do it on a high level. Your achievements are also amazing, I guess there is more to come. What are your future plans/goals?
Covid sidelined a big mountain goal but I do plan to continue climbing, hiking some tough mountains and competing in running. I was lucky enough to win a division race a month ago. I placed in the top three in my age group for a 5k and I am planning to focus on a number of other sports. I basically don’t plan to ever stop. If I can do it, then your kid can too.
Who do you collaborate with, how can you help each others work?
As long as I have the time, I will work with anyone focused on lifting up others and making this world a better place. I will not accept money. Money is meaningless to me. I am here on this earth to make as much of a positive impact as possible.
What gives you power and joy in the everyday life? What makes you go on?
My top joy is being a parent. I also enjoy sharing stories that impact your soul and pursuing adventure. I like to push myself past limitations.
What message would you like to tell parents with clubfoot babies, how can they best support their children in their different phases of life (small kids, teenagers, young adults)?
Look for the best treatments available to your child and this includes traveling for medical treatments. Explore dynamic AFOs if you’re a teen or adult and still hurting.
For parents reading, please know that I love my life. I am grateful to be born different. I didn’t always feel that way. Know that my heart is with you. I can empathize with your feelings.
Please hear me out…as someone born this way.
(1) If you view your child’s congenital differences/disabilities as a negative, then your child will too…so learn to leverage these congenital differences and turn the challenges into something positive.
(2) Don’t beat yourself up…Stop trying to figure out the cause of your kid’s congenital issues. Your child was born different and now we need to move forward.
(3) If your kid wants to lead a reckless lifestyle, let the kid be reckless. If you treat your child as fragile, then your child will react accordingly and that’s a real limitation.
The challenges your kid will face are very real and sometimes tremendous. But every step that hurts, every laughter at their expense, every missed experience, can be leveraged to build a really resilient, successful, and kind human.
What would you say to teenagers or adults living with clubfoot who are in a state of mind like you were before?
To you that are suffering: Your clubfoot won’t go away. No one is able to save you, so save yourself. Create opportunity from your adversity. There’s a way to leverage your adversity and do good. In my case, I was filled with negativity my entire life, I had significant archaic surgeries that never should have happened. If I was born a few states over, then I could’ve received much better treatment. There are lot of ifs, and a lot of adversity and uncertainty. I was bullied by children, adults, and teachers, all based on the appearances of my limbs and the way I moved. At any point I could’ve folded and quit and I wanted to quit. I wanted to hide from the world, but I didn’t. I learned that I can use my story, share what’s worked for me and do some good. So I leveraged my differences.
Also, for those that hate the appearance of your legs, here is the cure. Wear shorts for an entire year. Don’t hide your legs. Accept that others will stare, some will take pictures, some will laugh. It’s really not your business what others think about you and know that you can move forward. By the time the year is over you will become comfortable with your legs, you’ll learn how to approach discussions regarding your legs and you’ll finally stop hiding.
Do you have any suggestions on what we could do to give more information or how we could help parents expecting a clubfoot baby?
I strongly suggest:
(1) Not jumping to the worst case scenario for your child.
(2) Find the very best practitioner possible. I believe Dr. Matthew Dobbs is the best doctor.
(3) Understand that even with the best treatment, moderate and severe cases of clubfoot do have lifelong impacts but these impacts will not stop your child from living an amazing life.
(4) I would never change how I was born. Clubfoot has allowed me to dig deep and dream big.
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