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| Surgeon amputee from Truro shortlisted for astronaut job | Surgeon amputee from Truro shortlisted for astronaut job |
| (25 days later) | |
| Neil Hopper is a skilled vascular surgeon who underwent a double amputation after contracting sepsis | Neil Hopper is a skilled vascular surgeon who underwent a double amputation after contracting sepsis |
| A surgeon specialising in amputation, who lost both legs to sepsis, has made it to the shortlist to become an astronaut. | A surgeon specialising in amputation, who lost both legs to sepsis, has made it to the shortlist to become an astronaut. |
| Neil Hopper, consultant vascular surgeon at the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust, defied advice and expectations by successfully returning to work. | Neil Hopper, consultant vascular surgeon at the Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust, defied advice and expectations by successfully returning to work. |
| He made the European Space Agency's shortlist for a para-astronaut but was then eliminated from the process. | He made the European Space Agency's shortlist for a para-astronaut but was then eliminated from the process. |
| He said: "I got far enough to start worrying that I might get through." | He said: "I got far enough to start worrying that I might get through." |
| The surgeon reached the shortlist in a search for a candidate by the European Space Agency | The surgeon reached the shortlist in a search for a candidate by the European Space Agency |
| Mr Hopper, who works at Royal Cornwall Hospital based in Truro, added: "When I saw the advertisement from the European Space Agency for a para-astronaut, I had to put in an application. | Mr Hopper, who works at Royal Cornwall Hospital based in Truro, added: "When I saw the advertisement from the European Space Agency for a para-astronaut, I had to put in an application. |
| "The criteria were quite specific, you had to have a doctorate in engineering or medicine, you had to have a disability below the knee, and you had to speak a second language - hey, Welsh." | "The criteria were quite specific, you had to have a doctorate in engineering or medicine, you had to have a disability below the knee, and you had to speak a second language - hey, Welsh." |
| Mr Hopper said his wife Rachel thought he was "completely crazy". | Mr Hopper said his wife Rachel thought he was "completely crazy". |
| He travelled to Hamburg to take part in the selection process which involved medical, personality, psychometric and memory tests. | He travelled to Hamburg to take part in the selection process which involved medical, personality, psychometric and memory tests. |
| He said: "I made it reasonably far through the programme but I didn't get selected in the end." | He said: "I made it reasonably far through the programme but I didn't get selected in the end." |
| Mr Hopper has told his story, which includes a gruelling recovery and a return to helping patients with a new perspective, for a Welsh BBC documentary. | Mr Hopper has told his story, which includes a gruelling recovery and a return to helping patients with a new perspective, for a Welsh BBC documentary. |
| In the documentary, he explains how he had performed hundreds of amputations during his career when he lost both his legs to sepsis in 2019. | In the documentary, he explains how he had performed hundreds of amputations during his career when he lost both his legs to sepsis in 2019. |
| "On the other side" | "On the other side" |
| He added: "I remember imagining the operation - operations which I do all the time, and thinking that power tools were going to be used on me. That was really difficult to process." | He added: "I remember imagining the operation - operations which I do all the time, and thinking that power tools were going to be used on me. That was really difficult to process." |
| In hospital for seven weeks, Mr Hopper said the physical changes were "fairly easy to understand", while the psychological changes and "fitting back into family life" were harder to grasp. | In hospital for seven weeks, Mr Hopper said the physical changes were "fairly easy to understand", while the psychological changes and "fitting back into family life" were harder to grasp. |
| But with prosthetic legs came a glimmer of hope. | But with prosthetic legs came a glimmer of hope. |
| Listen to Neil Hopper on BBC Radio Cornwall | Listen to Neil Hopper on BBC Radio Cornwall |
| He added: "I was starting to think I'd never be able to go back to work, I'd never be able to play football with my son, walk the dog on the beach - that's the kind of mindset I had. | He added: "I was starting to think I'd never be able to go back to work, I'd never be able to play football with my son, walk the dog on the beach - that's the kind of mindset I had. |
| "But once I got legs, things started to change overnight, the future didn't look so bleak." | "But once I got legs, things started to change overnight, the future didn't look so bleak." |
| On reflection, he believes his experience and ability to relate to patients has made him a "better doctor", facilitating improvements to services throughout Devon and Cornwall. | On reflection, he believes his experience and ability to relate to patients has made him a "better doctor", facilitating improvements to services throughout Devon and Cornwall. |
| The surgeon had been advised to reconsider his career, but he said: "I was determined to go back to work. | The surgeon had been advised to reconsider his career, but he said: "I was determined to go back to work. |
| "I wanted to prove that they were completely wrong." | "I wanted to prove that they were completely wrong." |
| Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, external, Facebook, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk, external. | Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, external, Facebook, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk, external. |