‘I love my comic hero hands!’ Teen, 13, who lost her arms to meningitis as a baby reveals 3D printed bionic limbs have changed her life – and she’s even mastered applying make-up with them
- Tilly Locke, 13, lost her hands and toe tips to meningitis at just 15-months-old
- Teenager has become a tester for company making bionic hands and now has her own set of the futuristic-looking 3D printed hands and forearms
- Tilly appeared on This Morning today to talk about her passion for make-up
- 13-year-old says she loves applying latest trends with comic book heroine hands
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A teenage girl who has her own set of bionic hands after losing hers as a baby says she’s mastering the art of applying make-up with them.
Tilly Locke, 13, from County Durham, was just 15-months-old when she had her lower forearms, hands and fingers removed along with the tips of her toes following a devastating battle with meningitis.
Appearing on This Morning today with her mother, Sarah, Tilly showed off the 3D printed bionic arms she now uses, which work when the brain sends a message to the muscles in her arm.
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Teenager Tilly Locke, 13, from County Durham, lost her forearms, hands and fingers – and the tips of her toes – after surviving meningitis at the age of just 15 months (Pictured on This Morning today)
The teenager, pictured left with her mother Sarah, told Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford on This Morning today that she loves applying make-up with her new hands and has even produced videos showing other amputees how to do it
The teen recently attended the premiere in London of new film Alita: Battle Angel, in which many of the characters have bionic arms
Life-changing: Tilly pictured as a young child learning to write before being given prosethic hands. She told Eamonn and Ruth that she’s adapted to life without hands and can barely remember them
The teen revealed that she has been testing the futuristic-looking ‘comic hero hands’ for Open Bionics, offering them advice on how to further refine them so other amputees can benefit from them.
Chatting to hosts Eammon Holmes and Ruth Langsford, Tilly said she’s just like any other teenage girl when it comes to wanting to wear make-up.
She said: ‘I’m like any average teen girl, I love to do make-up. It’s something that I’m really passionate about and I want to inspire others who are different.’
She said mastering the art of make-up ‘wasn’t easy’ but that ‘dedication is a feature of mine’ and she had even learned how to apply it without her hands.
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She explained: ‘I’ve had 12 years to adapt and make my own way in life. I can do lots of things including my makeup without my hands but it’s more fun to do it with them.
This Morning viewers called the interview ‘inspirational’, taking to Twitter to share their admiration for the younster.
@LindsayHubbers2 wrote: ‘@thismorning just watched Tilly and her Mum gorgeous family her Mum is an amazing Mum look at her gorgeous daughter she’s done an excellent job a beautiful independent young lady.’
@Erasmo2058 added: ‘Tilly and her mum are going to be the only worthwhile section of #ThisMorning. She seems really gutsy and the arms look amazing.’
Tilly grips the hand of This Morning host Ruth Langsford, explaining that her bionic hand works when her brain sends a signal to the muscles in her arm
The youngster, pictured with her mother Sarah, showed off how her fingers work and revealed that she’s been a tester for Open Bionics, the company that makes her arms in a bid to help perfect the product
The arms are made by a 3D printer and have, says Tilly, changed her life
Mum Sarah said she’s spent the time since Tilly first became ill dedicating her life to raising awareness of the symptoms of meningitis
Tilly’s mum explained how her daughter’s suspected ear infection quickly descended into a terrifying battle for survival (Tilly pictured as a young child)
This Morning host Eamonn Holmes told the teenager that she could make a make-up video for the daytime show
Tilly’s mum Sarah revealed how she’s spent her whole life since Tilly first contracted the killer blood disorder raising awareness about symptoms.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. Anyone can be affected but at-risk people include those aged under five, 15-to-24 and over 45. Symptoms can mirror flu and it’s essential patients are treated as soon as possible.
She said: ‘It’s something that we’ve tried to raise so much awareness about ever since she was young. I’ve dedicated my to life to doing that.
‘Tilly’s symptoms were flu-like, she was off her food and had a high temperature. Then she started breathing rapidly and she wouldn’t play with her toys.
She added: ‘We’d been told it was an ear infection then I saw the rash and phoned an ambulance.’
Tilly’s parents faced a harrowing wait after doctors told them ‘100 per cent to expect the worst’.
And the moment they found out that their daughter would survive, doctors ‘took the blanket off her and told us she will lose her hands and the tips of her toes.’
Earlier this month, Tilly attended the premiere of new film Alita: Battle Angel, in which many of the characters have bionic arms, as a special guest of the company who produced her own hands, Open Bionics.
WHAT IS MENINGITIS?
Meningitis is inflammation of the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.
Anyone can be affected but at-risk people include those aged under five, 15-to-24 and over 45.
People exposed to passive smoking or with suppressed immune systems, such as patients undergoing chemotherapy, are also more at risk.
The most common forms of meningitis are bacterial and viral.
Symptoms for both include:
- Pale, blotchy skin with a rash that does not fade when compressed with a glass
- Stiff neck
- Dislike of bright lights
- Fever, and cold hands and feet
- Vomiting
- Drowsiness
- Severe headache
Headache is one of the main symptoms
Bacterial meningitis
Bacterial meningitis requires urgent treatment at hospital with antibiotics.
Some 10 per cent of bacterial cases are fatal.
Of those who survive, one in three suffer complications, including brain damage and hearing loss.
Limb amputation is a potential side effect if septicaemia (blood poisoning) occurs.
Vaccines are available against certain strains of bacteria that cause meningitis, such as tuberculosis.
Viral meningitis
Viral is rarely life-threatening but can cause long-lasting effects, such as headaches, fatigue and memory problems.
Thousands of people suffer from viral meningitis every year in the UK.
Treatment focuses on hydration, painkillers and rest.
Although ineffective, antibiotics may be given when patients arrive at hospital just in case they are suffering from the bacterial form of the disease.
Source: Meningitis Now
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