Steps Charity Worldwide - Raising Money for Hip Dysplasia

Please join me in making a difference! I will be climbing 'The 3 Peaks:' the tallest mountains in Scotland (Ben Nevis), Wales (Mount Snowdon) and England (Scafell Pike) over a few weekends in September in aid of STEPS CHARITY WORLDWIDE.

STEPS CHARITY WORLDWIDE is the leading charity working for all those whose lives are affected by childhood lower limb conditions. Everything they do is about valuing and supporting individuals, families and carers affected by conditions which have an impact on the legs, hips or feet, including hip dysplasia. Every donation, no matter how big or small will help those living with these conditions.

I know first hand how devastating it can be to be affected by a lower limb condition, specifically hip dysplasia. I am eternally grateful to have had world leading care and surgery to save my quality of life, and allow me to live a full life free from any pain or physical disability. I needed to go abroad for surgery as an adult, and had to learn to walk again (and thankfully, run again). As you can imagine, there are many other people all around the world that are not as lucky or as privileged as I am. 1-3% of children have hip dysplasia. It most often affects those born breech, a first born female and family history of the condition are all increased risk factors. It is also one of the leading causes of osteoarthritis in hips in younger people if corrective surgeries are not done on time. Many suffer in pain for years before a correct diagnosis is given, let alone treatment. Many cases are missed during routine screening at birth and methods like a simple x-ray measurement can be used to detect in adulthood, yet many cases are often still missed.

Thanks to charities like STEPS CHARITY WORLDWIDE, affected individuals are able to access the information and support they need. However, more still needs to be done to raise awareness both in the public and in healthcare settings.

Join me in supporting them to help those in need please!

From a HIPpie that never takes a STEP for granted.

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Any contribution value (even just a couple of pounds!) is massively appreciated and makes a big difference to those affected. For example, a donation of:

£25 allows Steps to provide support, advice and follow-up information to a parent calling their helpline about their unborn child being diagnosed with a serious lower limb condition – Steps are now extending their helpline more and more to adults but need to research into these lines of enquiries as treatment can differ.

£50 can help to supply a large NHS Trust with a range of booklets to help and support affected families - these continue to be provided as charitable contributions where there is no cost to the medical establishment / customer. Booklets are still proving popular as a physical source but recently Steps have been able to move to QR coded cards – Steps aim to provide these booklets in different languages in the near future.

£265 can give a grant for a specialist hip spica car seat, to help a young child recovering from hip displacement surgery – aided through the Clare Furmedge Fund* - there is so much more demand for car seats, especially after Covid.

£300-£500 can allow Steps to organise 'Meet and Greet' events around the UK specifically for families afected by individual conditions or generic meetings for all.

£300-£1,000 can allocate funds for used equipment to be sent to developing countries where there is much demand. This would include the cleaning of equipment / storage / collection and shipment.

£15,000+ can be used to support a research project, where we can enhance the research, develop contacts, advise, measure statistics and gain the latest medical advancement news on a particular condition to inform the public.

£14,000 - £20,000+, as well as further research, can also allow for Steps to organise special weekend camps for lots of families and their children affected with lower limb conditions where they can meet, participate and speak with experts that can help make long term change for the lives of those affected.

We don't take walking for granted.