SpringfieldNewsSun.com

SPRINGFIELD — As he stepped up on his front porch last week, Joshua Fent looked like every other teenager coming home from a soccer game — dressed in a blue T-shirt, shorts and knee socks folded over blue shin guards.

But a closer look revealed the guards were covering his calves, not his shins.

And they were not padded; the plastic was hinged at the ankle.

At $2,000 a pair, the semi-hard plastic braces allow the Mad River Twp. teen, who has Spina Bifida —an opening in the spine — to walk despite one foot that turns sharply inward and the other that "just flops around."

Since his first steps, the 16-year-old has had to replace the braces at least annually. His parents' insurance covered the bulk of the cost of both braces and medical care until his father was laid off his job in 2007.

Shortly afterwards, the Fents ran into a local Shrine Club member who told them they help young people like Joshua who have either burn injuries or have orthopedic conditions.

Joshua now receives free transportation to Shriners' Hospital in Lexington, Ky., where he is treated at no cost to his family.

"They pick you up and they bring you home," Joshua said. "And when you're there they treat you really nice."

His mother, Lynnlee, agreed.

"I don't know what we would have done without them."

On Saturday, May 10, the Springfield-Clark County Shrine Club will hold a mini clinic to assess children who might be eligible for free care at a Shriners's Hospital.

"We are probably the world's best-kept secret," said Brian Bowen, spokesman for the local club. "We want to get the word out that we are here to help these kids."

The clinic will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the office of Dr. John Dobson, 2330 E. Home Road. Parents or guardians will be asked to provide medical history information, after which their child will undergo a brief health screening.

Walk-ins are welcome, but registration is encouraged. To register, call Bob Buchy at 964-8848

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0347 or kmori@coxohio.com.

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Shriners' Hospitals offer free medical care for children with the following conditions:

Cerebral Palsy

Clubfoot and other foot disorders

Hand and Upper Extremity disorders

Hip disorders

Leg length discrepancies

Limb Deficiencies and amputations

Metabolic bone disease

Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI)

Scoliosis and other spinal deformities

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) and other rheumatic disorders

Walking disorders

Orthopedic conditions associated with:

Neuromuscular disorders

Spina Bifida/Myelodysplasia

Congenital and Developmental disorders

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How to Go:

What: Shriners' Hospital Screening Clinic

Where: The office of John Dobson M.D., 2330 E. High Street

When: May. 10, 2008 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Walk ins are welcomed. Preregistration is recommended.

To register call Bob Buchy at 964-8848

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