Dear Mr. Ellwood,
I have asked for your help before and found, to my delight, that you were as good as your word in sorting out my DWP problems. This time is slightly different and something that, I have recently found, has far reaching and devastating effects on many people worldwide.
I was born with bi-lateral talipes equinovarus, as are 1 in every thousand people on average. When I was born, (in 1959), the options were few and even with many different surgeries to lengthen tendons, break bones and re-set them, manipulate my feet, etc. etc. my mother was told that I would never walk. (I did and I do but that’s another story) I was told when I was about 11 years old that I must never wear high heels, never to go skiing, never to wear backless shoes and never to gain weight. Other than that I was as “corrected” as I’d ever be. They also said that I would inevitably get arthritis in my feet/ankles.
At the age of about 45 I started having more problems with my feet/ankles. i.e. more pain than usual, my feet would just collapse and I would be unable to bear weight without excruciating pain. I could barely walk on some days. It seemed it was time to find an orthopaedic surgeon who would help me. Long story short, I found a wonderful surgeon who informed me that, without his intervention I would be unable to walk at all within 10 years. No choice there then! I’m an independent devil. I’ve had 3 surgeries on one foot/ankle since October 2010. It soon became clear that I wouldn’t be able to carry on working until I had recovered. Now here comes the crux of this letter. The DWP will not recognise talipes equinovarus as a disability.
They call it a “disfigurement” and therefore, make it impossible for people, such as me, to claim any benefits, without calling our DISABILITY by another name. With a disfigurement you don’t need help in walking or taking care of yourself, getting to the shops or up and down stairs. You don’t need crutches or wheelchairs, pain medication or anti inflammatories. You can find shoes that fit etc. etc.
My question is, “Why should I call my disability by a different name? I have had talipes equinovarus, (bi-lateral) for 52 years. It hurts and it’s horrible but it’s what I have. I don’t want to call it by another name. I want people to understand what it is and how it affects me every day of my life. Is that too much to ask?.I was born with bi-lateral talipes equinovarus, as are 1 in every thousand people on average. When I was born, (in 1959), the options were few and even with many different surgeries to lengthen tendons, break bones and re-set them, manipulate my feet, etc. etc. my mother was told that I would never walk. (I did and I do but that’s another story) I was told when I was about 11 years old that I must never wear high heels, never to go skiing, never to wear backless shoes and never to gain weight. Other than that I was as “corrected” as I’d ever be. They also said that I would inevitably get arthritis in my feet/ankles. At the age of about 45 I started having more problems with my feet/ankles. i.e. more pain than usual, my feet would just collapse and I would be unable to bear weight without excruciating pain. I could barely walk on some days. It seemed it was time to find an orthopaedic surgeon who would help me.
Long story short, I found a wonderful surgeon who informed me that, without his intervention I would be unable to walk at all within 10 years. No choice there then! I’m an independent devil. I’ve had 3 surgeries on one foot/ankle since October 2010. It soon became clear that I wouldn’t be able to carry on working until I had recovered. Now here comes the crux of this letter. The DWP will not recognise talipes equinovarus as a disability. They call it a “disfigurement” and therefore, make it impossible for people, such as me, to claim any benefits, without calling our DISABILITY by another name. With a disfigurement you don’t need help in walking or taking care of yourself, getting to the shops or up and down stairs. You don’t need crutches or wheelchairs, pain medication or anti inflammatories. You can find shoes that fit etc. etc. My question is, “Why should I call my disability by a different name? I have had talipes equinovarus, (bi-lateral) for 52 years. It hurts and it’s horrible but it’s what I have. I don’t want to call it by another name. I want people to understand what it is and how it affects me every day of my life. Is that too much to ask?
