The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Hayley’s new hand gives her superhero powers
Ironman inspires Hayley’s pretty pink and purple robo-limb which enables her to hold her teddy, peel a banana and
YOUNG Hayley Fraser feels like a real-life superhero – thanks to her revolutionary new bionic arm.
The five- year- old was born without any fingers on her left hand but her life has been transformed by a robo-limb which is a UK first.
Her parents turned to the internet after NHS chiefs were unable to provide their daughter with a prosthetic limb.
And US-based charity E-Nable has now made her a pink and purple hand inspired by the Marvel Comics character Iron Man.
The youngster’s proud dad, David, 36, said: “Itwas pretty heartbreaking seeing her use it for the first time.
“It was all her dreams come true.”
Hayley was born with symbrachydactyly – a congenital abnormality to her hand which left it with no fingers.
Her new limb is controlled by her wrist, with the fingers closing when she moves her hand down thanks to tightened strings, and opening when she does the opposite.
E-nable has made about 40 superhero-style hands since it was formed in August 2013.
The charity helps match engineers and designers with 3D printers to children who need limbs.
Ayoung north girl who was born without a hand has been fitted with a bionic prosthetic arm in a UK first.
Five- year- old Hayley Fraser was born without any fingers on her left hand and would often try to hide her stump in photographs or at nursery.
Her proud parents David and Zania went to theNHS for help – but when health chiefs refused to offer her a prosthetic they turned to the internet.
A new US-based charity has now made her a pretty pink and purple robo-limb inspired by superhero Iron Man.
It is the first of its kind made for a British child.
Rather than conventional prosthetic limbs, charity E- Nable makes hands on 3D printers which intentionally stand out to try to make children proud of their differences.
“It was all her dreams come true when she used it for the first time”
Volunteers have made hands featuring everything from LED lights, extra thumbs and even Wolverine-inspired spikes.
Hayley, from Inverness, is now proud to show off her star-embossedhandfor the first time in her life, and the charity is looking for more UK youngsters to help.
The little girl’s dad, David, 36, said: “It was pretty heartbreaking seeing her use it for the first time.
“It was all her dreams come true.
"It's the little things – she can hold her teddy, peel a banana and even paint her nails now. It's amazing.
“It has made a real difference to her. The philosophy behind the charity is amazing.
“Itmakes the kids feel really special, rather than having something to be embarrassed about.
“They pick their own designs and colours, and they don't look like you would expect a prosthetic to look.”
Hayley was born with symbrachydactyly, a congenital abnormality to her hand which left it with no fingers.
The brave youngster did not let her condition hold her back, but aged three
“It has made a real difference to her. She feels special”
her parentswentto see specialists in Edinburgh to see what could be done.
They were frustrated when doctors proposed an operation to transplant a toe to her hand, with no other options.
David, a self-employed electrical contractor, said: “She just has a little stump on her left hand instead of fingers, but she copes really well.
“We didn't make a big deal out of it, but if she would stand for a photograph, she would put her other hand over it, or behind her back.
“We always said ‘it's just part of her', but there was a stage when she was going to nursery, and kids ask questions.
"We spoke to lots of specialists and they said that they could remove a toe and make it a finger, but thatwas their only option – that was it.
“We just didn't want to put a three-year-old child through that so we started researching on the internet."
The family found out about US-based E-Nable, which matched Hayley with volunteer and digital
“Kids pick their own designs and colours for their robo-limbs”
craft Professor Frankie Flood at the University of Wisconsin.
They made a plaster cast at home and sent it to Prof Flood, who printed the parts on a 3D printer and sent a shiny pink and purple arm to Hayley within just six weeks.
The simple device is controlled by the wrist, with the fingers closing when she moves her hand down thanks to tightened strings, andopeningwhenshedoes the opposite.
E-nable has made about 40 superhero-style hands since it was formed in August 2013.
The charity helps matchup engineers and designers
with 3D printers to children who need limbs.
Volunteer Melina Brown said E-nable has helped children be proud of their differences. She said: “I think when we started it was more about function, but now I think it is as much about self esteem.
“The hands are cool, so the kids go from being the one who maybe has an issue at school, to suddenly having a cool superhero arm that everybody wants.”