A Jersey medical student who lost all four limbs after suffering septic shock has been fitted with a bionic arm, thanks to an anonymous donor.
Lily McGarry, a former Jersey College for Girls student, became critically ill at the start of last year after developing meningococcal septicaemia while studying at Cardiff University.
What began as flu-like symptoms quickly escalated into septic shock, and the 24-year-old had all her limbs amputated due to severe blood flow complications.
After spending several months in hospital and rehabilitation in the UK, Lily was flown back to Jersey just before Christmas to continue her recovery.
She was fitted with a bionic arm by UK-based company Open Bionics within days of returning to island, thanks to funding from an anonymous donor.
“It was here in time for Christmas, which was kind of unheard of,” said Lily.
“They even flew a prosthetist over to Jersey to set it up for me, so I couldn’t have been supported any better.”
Lily said she was still learning to use the Hero PRO arm, but believed it would make everyday life easier as she continues her rehabilitation.
“I used to be right-handed, so re-learning to write with the Hero PRO on my left side will take a bit more time, but I’m enjoying practising,” she explained.
“I’m also using it to pick up everyday items like my water bottle, and even using the pinch grip to grab a chocolate treat.”
The lightweight, multi-grip arm uses sensors to detect muscle movements in the forearm and Bluetooth technology to translate them into bionic hand movements.
Open Bionics co-founder Samantha Payne said: “When we heard Lily’s story, we wanted to move quickly so her Hero PRO would be ready as she returned home.
“Those first days after coming home are a huge adjustment, and we wanted to make sure Lily felt supported.
“It was wonderful to see her using her new bionic hand to enjoy festive moments like taking chocolate from her advent calendar and writing Christmas cards.”
Now settled back in Jersey, Lily said she feels optimistic about the future and is beginning to focus on the next stages of her recovery – including further rehabilitation and returning to university.
A fundraiser for the young amputee has surpassed over £500,000. You can donate here.