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Home News Top Stories

Harvey's got new legs.. all thanks to Mirror readers

By Andrew Dagnell 5/05/2010

EXCLUSIVE:

There's no hiding the joy for little Harvey Parry as he takes his first steps
on his new prosthetic legs - and it's all down to the generosity of Mirror
readers.

Just over a month ago brave Harvey was facing the prospect that he might
never walk again.

The four-year-old had outgrown the prosthetic legs he relied on after losing
both limbs to meningitis aged just 15 months. And despite raising £100,000 for
his first two pairs, parents Carol and John were struggling to raise cash to buy
him a third.

After reading Harvey's moving story in March, more than 3,500 of you, our
big-hearted readers donated, and within two weeks they'd met their £20,000
target.

Days later Harvey and his family were able to fly to Sarasota, Florida, where
he had his new legs custom-made and fitted by US company A Step Ahead.

THANKS

Their pioneering technology elevates the body above the sockets of the legs,
allowing him free and easy movement.

Speaking from the US, Carol, 44, said: "From the bottom of my heart, I want
to thank the Daily Mirror and their readers.

"We couldn't have done it without you. I genuinely believed we'd reached the
end of the road in fundraising and there was no way we could reach our goal.

Advertisement - article continues below »

"Not only has this money given Harvey new legs, but it's given him the
opportunity to lead the life of any other four-year-old."

After arriving in the US on April 9, Harvey was taken to specialists Hanger
Prosthetics where five experts made a plaster cast of his stumps.

They worked around the clock to get his limbs built in 24 hours - but the
legs kept cutting into him so the prosthetists worked on them another week.

Carol, of Edmonton, North London, said: "Eve r y design Harvey was trying he
was screaming in agony and couldn't stand up, let alone walk. But after a week
of trying on loads of designs, he eventually found the perfect fit. When he
slipped them on, he looked up at me and said: 'These are the ones mummy - they
feel brilliant.' He had a huge smile on his face."

Carol said: "Harvey is strutting around the place and so proud of his legs.
They're like his new toy. He always looks after them, makes sure they're clean
and stores them safely before going to bed."

Harvey had also never been able to put his previous pairs of legs on by
himself and had to be lifted and strapped in by Carol or John, 44, to make sure
they were secure.

But his new pair - which aren't available in Britain - have been designed so
he can pull them on himself and simply press a button to lock them in place.

Carol said: "When he wakes up in the morning, rather than having to wait for
us to get him out of bed, he can get himself up and pull his legs on. He thinks
it's brilliant that he can be playing on his Wii before John and I have woken
up. Now we'll be able to send him to school w i t h o u t worrying whether
someone will be on hand to help him.

"It's something so simple that all other kids would take for granted, but it
means the world to Harvey. He's relishing the independence." Harvey and his
family will now stay in the US another week with physiotherapists teaching him
how to walk on different terrains through tough eight-hour days. And Harvey may
also be fitted with a separate pair of running legs before he returns to Britain
next week.

Carol said: "Harvey adores running - he's so fast. He says he wants to be an
athlete when he's older, so we're desperately trying to get him a pair of
running limbs too." And while the future for Harvey looks bright, Carol says she
and John are still stunned at how the public's generosity and support has
changed their son's life.

Keep up to speed with every twist and turn
of the general election on our dedicated microsite www.mirror.co.uk/election.

And
follow our election coverage on Twitter @mirrorelections

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