‘Now I can wear shoes’: Woman ,18, can finally walk after surgery on her club foot

A teenage girl with eight toes on one foot has been able to walk in shoes for the first time after having life-changing surgery. Rajwant Kaur, 18, from a small village in Punjab, north India, was born with club foot (Above Left), which made walking almost impossible and was made worse as she could not find shoes to fit her misshapen feet. It also affected her selfesteem and forced her siblings to help her with everyday tasks. Although a success, the procedure left Ms Kaur with one leg 2.5 inches (6.35cm) shorter than the other. Yet, she is still thrilled with her new foot. Earlier this month, she was finally able to wear her first pair of shoes(Above Right). ‘One day I look forward to finally wearing pretty heels .’ Dr Rattan Lal Mittal, , an orthopedic surgeon at Mata Kaushalya Hospital, in Patiala, performed the operation and named the surgery ‘Octoplus Club foot’ due to the foot’s likeness to the animal. Cover Asia Press/Rajesh Sachar