by Scott McIntyre on Monday, October 19, 2009
3IHA was saddened to learn that Dr. Ponseti died over the weekend, so we are breaking from our alphabetical list of weekly Iowa Hospital Heroes to honor him here today. Our sympathies to Dr. Ponseti’s family and his colleagues at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where his work will no doubt be carried on with the same resolve and compassion that Dr. Ponseti exhibited for more than 65 years.
Ignacio Ponseti
Physician
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City
Ignacio Ponseti, M.D., attended Medical School at the University of Barcelona in Spain and graduated in 1936. Following his graduation, the civil war in Spain started and he became embroiled in this war for three years. At the end of the war, Dr. Ponseti found himself at the losing end and had to flee the country or face severe punishment or possibly death.
He fled to Mexico and in 1941 came to Iowa City at the invitation of Dr. Arthur Steindler. Since then, Dr. Ponseti has devoted his entire academic endeavor in the pursuit of a safe and highly successful method to treat clubfoot problems. He created a non-surgical method for the successful treatment of clubfeet that carries his name. The Ponseti Method was promoted heavily by families of children born with clubfeet and for more than 60 years these often desperate families have found their way to Iowa City and Dr. Ponseti. Today, parents who search the Web for clubfoot treatment will see scores of testimonies attesting to the effectiveness of the Ponseti Method.
Babies from all over the United States and the world have converged into Dr. Ponseti’s clinics. Following a treatment consisting of cast applications, the average baby’s feet are corrected in a matter of weeks. Parents leave Dr. Ponseti’s clinics with tears of joy, realizing their baby’s feet are no longer deformed and that these children will enjoy a normal life because of his innovation and care.
Even at age 95, Dr. Ponseti continues to come to work on a daily basis. Scores of physicians from every corner of the globe come and spend time with Dr. Ponseti to learn the Ponseti Method. Dr. Ponseti’s method is now practiced in almost every country in the world.
Dr. Ponseti personifies everything that the Hospital Heroes Award stands for.
The first time I spoke with Dr. Ponseti was around this time three yrs ago. My son Michael was a little over two months old. He had been treated by another doctor who said he was using the Ponseti method. Michaels feet were not corrected. I called Dr. Ponseti, he asked me to email him pictures of Michaels feet. He said he could fix his feet. He even went as far as to give me the number to the Ronald McDonald house so we could have a place to stay. In ten weeks I hadnt even been able to enjoy my new baby, at this point I was always wondering if he would be able to walk or even stand. We were on our way to Iowa. After our first visit we knew he was in the best hands. Today Michael is 3 with beautiful little feet. Last week at the races he was looking for his doctor at the finish line. Dr, Ponseti will always be in our hearts.
Debbie McCormick
Thanks Doctor. I know you helped my little brother’s foot. God Bless