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| Hand transplant: Southampton student's life-changing operation | |
| (6 days later) | |
| Becca Heritage is able to carry out everyday tasks with her right hand with ease | Becca Heritage is able to carry out everyday tasks with her right hand with ease |
| A medical student who had a hand transplant after losing several limbs to meningitis has said the surgery changed her life. | A medical student who had a hand transplant after losing several limbs to meningitis has said the surgery changed her life. |
| Becca Heritage was diagnosed with meningococcal septicaemia during her first term at the University of Southampton in November 2018. | Becca Heritage was diagnosed with meningococcal septicaemia during her first term at the University of Southampton in November 2018. |
| Her parents were told to expect the worst - but medical staff were able to save her life by amputating both legs and most of her fingers. | Her parents were told to expect the worst - but medical staff were able to save her life by amputating both legs and most of her fingers. |
| She was only the ninth person in the UK to undergo a hand transplant and, now aged 25, hopes to become a doctor to "give back" to the NHS. | She was only the ninth person in the UK to undergo a hand transplant and, now aged 25, hopes to become a doctor to "give back" to the NHS. |
| She was placed in an induced coma and woke up waking to find parts of her body had turned black | She was placed in an induced coma and woke up waking to find parts of her body had turned black |
| Just six weeks after starting her medicine degree, Ms Heritage woke up in the night vomiting uncontrollably. | Just six weeks after starting her medicine degree, Ms Heritage woke up in the night vomiting uncontrollably. |
| After calling 111, she was admitted to University Hospital Southampton where she developed a high temperature, elevated heart rate and became confused. | After calling 111, she was admitted to University Hospital Southampton where she developed a high temperature, elevated heart rate and became confused. |
| "I think I had six ice packs and two fans on me - but my temperature still wasn't going down," she said. | "I think I had six ice packs and two fans on me - but my temperature still wasn't going down," she said. |
| With her organs failing and a rash on her arms and legs, she deteriorated quickly and was put into an induced coma for two weeks. | With her organs failing and a rash on her arms and legs, she deteriorated quickly and was put into an induced coma for two weeks. |
| On waking, she saw parts of her body had turned black and necrotic. | On waking, she saw parts of her body had turned black and necrotic. |
| "To me it was kind of obvious that I was going to lose parts of my hands and my feet because they just did not look normal at all," she said. | "To me it was kind of obvious that I was going to lose parts of my hands and my feet because they just did not look normal at all," she said. |
| Doctors had to amputate most of the fingers on her left hand, all fingers on her right hand and both legs below the knee. | Doctors had to amputate most of the fingers on her left hand, all fingers on her right hand and both legs below the knee. |
| After the hand transplant surgery, Ms Heritage was encouraged to practise moving her fingers | After the hand transplant surgery, Ms Heritage was encouraged to practise moving her fingers |
| Ms Heritage began rehabilitation to learn to walk on prosthetic legs, and had to learn to use her left hand for day-to-day tasks because she had lost too much of her right hand, which she found "frustrating". | Ms Heritage began rehabilitation to learn to walk on prosthetic legs, and had to learn to use her left hand for day-to-day tasks because she had lost too much of her right hand, which she found "frustrating". |
| She referred herself to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust - the only hospital trust in the UK to offer hand and upper limb transplantation. | She referred herself to Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust - the only hospital trust in the UK to offer hand and upper limb transplantation. |
| "They do a lot of discussion with you before you go on the waiting list, in terms of a psychological assessment and your preferences about what the hand might look like and what would be deemed an acceptable match," she said. | "They do a lot of discussion with you before you go on the waiting list, in terms of a psychological assessment and your preferences about what the hand might look like and what would be deemed an acceptable match," she said. |
| Early one morning in 2023, about three years later, Ms Heritage got a phone call. | Early one morning in 2023, about three years later, Ms Heritage got a phone call. |
| "They said: 'We think we've got one, come to Leeds today. Now.'" | "They said: 'We think we've got one, come to Leeds today. Now.'" |
| She can now use her transplanted hand for hobbies like sketching and says it feels "so normal, but in the best way" | She can now use her transplanted hand for hobbies like sketching and says it feels "so normal, but in the best way" |
| The operation took around 12 hours. Bones, tendons, nerves, arteries, veins and muscles were joined together in a complex procedure. | The operation took around 12 hours. Bones, tendons, nerves, arteries, veins and muscles were joined together in a complex procedure. |
| Consultant plastic surgeon Professor Simon Kay, who leads the UK Hand Transplant Team, said: "We can do all the clever joining up but it's the remarkable qualities of the human body and mind that make it all work. | Consultant plastic surgeon Professor Simon Kay, who leads the UK Hand Transplant Team, said: "We can do all the clever joining up but it's the remarkable qualities of the human body and mind that make it all work. |
| "It never ceases to astound me." | "It never ceases to astound me." |
| Ms Heritage said the hand felt like a part of her immediately, and that it closely resembled her original hand. | Ms Heritage said the hand felt like a part of her immediately, and that it closely resembled her original hand. |
| "I remember shedding a little tear because one of the nurses had taken a photo through all this bandaging and I could just see these little nails," she said. | "I remember shedding a little tear because one of the nurses had taken a photo through all this bandaging and I could just see these little nails," she said. |
| For reasons of confidentiality, she was not able to find out anything about her donor before the operation, but was encouraged to write a letter to her family afterwards. | For reasons of confidentiality, she was not able to find out anything about her donor before the operation, but was encouraged to write a letter to her family afterwards. |
| "They wrote back and now I know her name and a bit about her life," she said. | "They wrote back and now I know her name and a bit about her life," she said. |
| Ms Heritage is studying for a Master of Medical Sciences degree at the University of Southampton | Ms Heritage is studying for a Master of Medical Sciences degree at the University of Southampton |
| Following intensive physiotherapy, she is back to doing most things with her right hand, including cooking, doing her make-up, drawing and looking after her pet gecko. | Following intensive physiotherapy, she is back to doing most things with her right hand, including cooking, doing her make-up, drawing and looking after her pet gecko. |
| "It's been amazing, I don't think I quite anticipated how good it would be - it does just feel like it's mine." | "It's been amazing, I don't think I quite anticipated how good it would be - it does just feel like it's mine." |
| Ms Heritage, who is studying to be a GP, said she had been inspired by the team at Leeds General Infirmary. | Ms Heritage, who is studying to be a GP, said she had been inspired by the team at Leeds General Infirmary. |
| "They're exactly the kind of doctors that I'd want to be - they're just so caring and they really care about you as a whole person, not just a patient." | "They're exactly the kind of doctors that I'd want to be - they're just so caring and they really care about you as a whole person, not just a patient." |
| She volunteers with charity Meningitis Now to boost vaccine awareness among students and is also working to inform more people about hand transplants. | She volunteers with charity Meningitis Now to boost vaccine awareness among students and is also working to inform more people about hand transplants. |
| Currently, the option to donate hands does not feature on the Organ Donation Register, unlike organs such as hearts and kidneys. | Currently, the option to donate hands does not feature on the Organ Donation Register, unlike organs such as hearts and kidneys. |
| Only one person has had the same operation since Ms Heritage had her transplant. | Only one person has had the same operation since Ms Heritage had her transplant. |
| Professor Kay explained that specialist donation nurses discuss limb donation with families but few agree, resulting in waits of up to six years for patients. | Professor Kay explained that specialist donation nurses discuss limb donation with families but few agree, resulting in waits of up to six years for patients. |
| "It's such a shame, if families could meet patients like Becca they would understand what an enormous gift donation is." | "It's such a shame, if families could meet patients like Becca they would understand what an enormous gift donation is." |
| Leeds Teaching Hospital has advised people to discuss their preferences about organ and limb donation with their families, who can then confidently relay these wishes to doctors. | |
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