A fitness fanatic who was born with clubfoot and could not stand for longer than an hour without experiencing excruciating pain, and was told not to play the drums any more by doctors, now completes Ironman triathlons and non-stop swims to raise money to help others with his condition, and hopes to join a band next year.
Toby Bunyan, a 28-year-old cable jointer underwent corrective clubfoot surgery and treatment for his right foot at four months old, but grew up with “absolutely horrific, excruciating pain” when standing or doing high-impact sport and was told he may have to have his “ankles fused together” to reduce the pain.
As a teenager, he even had to give up his favourite hobby of playing the drums, making him feel “deflated” and “scared of the problems (he) would potentially face” in the future, until, at age 24, he swapped orthotic shoes for barefoot shoes, which was a “complete game changer” for Toby and he could finally participate in sport without pain.
