A boy in England was born with a rare deformity that resulted in cleft feet, and his mother is speaking about how saddening it is to not be able to find her son a pair of shoes without breaking the bank, The Daily Mail reported on Monday.
Jack Duncan-Hale, 4, has feet that appear like they have been divided in half. His toes point outward in opposite directions, leaving him unable to wear conventional shoes.
Each of the boy's feet have three toes that range in size and require him to have shoes specially made for him by a footwear specialist.
Because he's a growing child, he already needs new orthopedic shoes because a pair he got when he was younger doesn't fit anymore. His mother, Kim Hale, has said she can't afford another pair, as they cost upwards of $1,000, A Breaking News reported. She is now trying to encourage the public to help her find an appropriate alternative.
"He has no shoes at all. He did have orthopeedic shoes but he cannot wear them any more as they don't fit him," Kim Hale told the Daily Mail.
Jack is afflicted with a rare congenital abnormality that leads to missing toes on the foot and a V-shaped cleft, along with other visible differences. It is estimated that less than one in a million babies are affected by the condition, which is believed to have a genetic predisposition.
"You have to see his feet to believe it; this is such a rare condition," Kim Hale told the Daily Mail. "When he was younger it didn't really affect him but now he is walking a lot more his feet swell up."
Those interested in helping the family can email david.sherpherd@glosmedia.co.uk.
