For Keoni, Born with Bilateral Clubfoot, Shriners Children’s Has Always Been There

When Keoni was born 16 years ago, his mother, Kathy, looked at him in awe and amazement. "I remember thinking, ‘Wow, what a beautiful boy,’ and then I thought, ‘Something is wrong with his feet,’” she said.

Keoni was born with bilateral clubfoot, meaning both of his feet were severely turned inward, a condition for which he has received lifelong, ongoing treatment at Shriners Children’s Northern California.

A Family Connection to Shriners Children’s

Kathy and her husband, John, said those first few days felt surreal. They didn’t know what having a diagnosis of bilateral clubfoot meant for their son, but they did know that there were treatment options.

Kathy grew up as an active Job’s Daughter, raising money for Shriners Children’s and aware of the life-changing care that Shriners Children’s offers. Keoni’s father, John, also knew of Shriners Children’s and its work because his grandfather was a Mason. While considering treatment options, the midwife who delivered Keoni and Kathy's sister, who is a paramedic, did additional research. Together, they agreed that Shriners Children’s Northern California was the best place for Keoni.

When he was 5 weeks old, Keoni was at Shriners Children’s Northern California for his first appointment with orthopedic surgeon Joel Lerman, M.D., who continues to treat Keoni to this day.

“Every time I see Dr. Lerman, I want to cry,” said John. “There is just so much gratitude. We now have 16 years of experience with Dr. Lerman and the whole team at Shriners Children’s. The magnitude of their impact on our family is just overwhelming, it’s tremendous. They touch and change so many lives.”