Gran who lost all four limbs after holiday infection is fitted with £10,000 3D-printed prosthetic arm
Kim lost all her limbs after developed sepsis on holiday in Spain with her husband Steve
A GRAN who lost her arms and legs after a holiday infection has had her life transformed by a 3D printed bionic arm.
Mum-of-two Kim Smith from Bletchley, Bucks, is overjoyed after she become the first patient of her kind to be fitted with a bionic limb made by a 3D printer.
It now means she can do everyday tasks like brushing her hair and playing with her grandchildren.
The British-made, £10,000 'Hero Arm', was made available to Kim through donations from family, friends and public donors.
Kim told : "It's amazing. I can brush my own hair and teeth. I can use a fork and operate the button on my electric wheelchair.
“I haven’t tried picking up a glass of wine yet but my family are holding a fundraising disco soon and I need to know how to sip wine by then.”
But perhaps best of all, Kim is pleased she can now "fist-bump" her grandson Oliver.
Kim developed sepsis after getting a kidney infection on holiday in Alicante, Spain with husband Steve, 59.
First her hands became cold before turning black and her condition worsened so fast she was flown to the UK after five weeks in an induced coma.
When she woke a month later surgeons asked Kim for permission to amputate her limbs to save her life and she agreed.
Kim’s family discovered the Hero Arm, which cost £9,999 plus £5,000 for a five-year warranty.
The cutting-edge technology features two sensors that pick up electromyographic signals from the muscles.
When the wearer squeezes a group of muscles, it sends signals that are converted into movement, meaning as soon as a person starts wearing it they can use it immediately.
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Now Kim is hoping to raise funds for a second bionic limb for her left arm.
Kim says her sense of humour makes sure nothing gets her down.
She said: “We joke about me being legless. I focus on what I’m capable of doing, not what I can’t. But there are times I get upset.
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