Used shoes/bars

[Guest guest]

Perhaps this is in the archives somewhere, but if so I haven't found

it. I've been thinking for a while of an internet-based " brace

exchange " program (sort of like " Solemates " for those with different

sized feet) and was reminded by and Windie's comment at the end

of their questionnair submission. Although my patients (and I) are

fortunate enough to live in Canada where our health care is paid for

in our taxes, some families have real trouble affording the

brace/shoes. I'm sure that this is widespread. With reverse-last

shoes, we have an informal arrangement in the clinic where parents

put their contact info on a bulletin board if they have a shoe to

sell or give away (used to be common to prescribe one reverse-last

shoe for a unilateral forefoot adductus but the shoe store would only

sell a pair for $80). This worked quite well, but we're a small

community (our catchment area for the Health Sciences Center is about

350 000 pop) so we often don't have the right size etc.

Have you (the list owners) thought of some way of doing a similar

thing through the list? Either donating the shoes (possibly for the

cost of mailing them) or selling them for a reduced price?

Another point of interest to anyone from Ontario, we are starting to

apply to the ACSD (Assistance to Children with Severe Disabilities)

for coverage of the braces. Our physio suggested this and our social

worker is helping us. We haven't heard yet if anyone gets funding,

but if so it's worth thinking of. They take a look at combined

family income and all expenses incurred for treatment of a severe

disability including travel etc. and fund some of it. The family

income cut-off is relatively high so I would encourage any Ontarians

in this situation to ask about it.

son