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News & Media 2007

Thumbs Up (Wednesday March 7th, 2007)Channel 7, Melbourne
A little girl born with a rare hand deformity has been given a new chance of life. A team of surgeons including Guy Dowling and visiting London surgeon Paul Smith, gave the 2 year old girl a new thumb.

View the 7 News Melbourne Video Clip:

The Story...

Peter Mitchell (7 News Reader)
A Ballarat toddler born with a rare hand deformity is being given the chance of a normal life. A team of surgeons today gave the two year old girl a new thumb. One even came from the other side of the world to help out.

Emma Power(7 News Reporter)
Annais Taylor is like any normal two year old but look closely. Her thumb is much smaller than it should be. It has no joints. Until now she’s relied on her next two fingers to do all the work. Problem is she’s right handed and she will need a properly working thumb.

Shan Skinner (Mother)
This thumb’s actually never worked from birth. She’s unable to wiggle it or move it in any form.

Emma Power
So in marathon surgery, doctors plan to remove her thumb and create a new one from her index finger.

Guy Dowling (Plastic Surgeon)
I think this operation will change her life. She’ll be able to grasp things and use her hand a lot more functionally than she otherwise would be able to.

Emma Power
A London expert flew in to assist.

Paul Smith (Visiting Surgeon)
It’s pretty important because the thumb is worth about 50% of your hand. So if you don’t have a functioning thumb you can’t undertake fine manipulative skills.

Emma Power
Time for surgery and to say goodbye to Mum and Dad.

Shan Skinner
Mummy’s here all the time sweetie O.K.

Emma Power
Annais will have some physiotherapy after today’s surgery to make sure her new thumb is working properly. The doctors are confident she’ll be working pretty well within about six weeks.

After some anxious hours Annais’ new thumb is complete and finally a chance to grab life with both hands. Emma Power, 7 News.