A determined toddler who lost all her limbs to meningitis is one step closer to walking – after being fitted with her first pair of prosthetic legs.
Harmonie-Rose Allen was struck down by deadly meningitis B when she was only ten-months-old – just TEN DAYS after she took her first steps.
Doctors told parents Freya Hall and Ross Allen that their daughter had just a ten per cent chance of survival, and that Harmonie’s case was one of the worst they had ever seen.
Miraculously, the brave tot defied the odds and beat the killer bug – but lost her arms, legs and the tip of the nose in the process.
Last month, Harmonie, now two, tried out a new, high-tech walking frame, which physiotherapists hoped would help her to walk.
And earlier this week, she was fitted with her first set of prosthetic legs with feet – which she has been testing out with a brand new pair of purple buckle-up shoes.
Proud mum Freya Hall, 21, said: “We are over the moon with Harmonie’s new legs, we can’t believe how tall she looks.
“It’s lovely but it seems to strange to see her with legs again.”
“I was really worried she wouldn’t like them but she does. Sometimes she has a little whinge when having them put on but once they’re on she’s fine.
“She needs to get her balance so isn’t walking unaided yet but she does some steps while I hold onto her arms. She’s adapting to them well.”
“We let her wear them as long as she wants to and on the first day she wore them for hours which is amazing.
“Before she got given them she had some stubbies which were to get her used to having something on her legs, and to get her used to being upright.
“It worked because she wasn’t too phased about wearing the legs, and she really likes that she can wear socks and shoes.”
Harmonie-Rose was rushed into hospital on September 28 last year, just before her first birthday.
She was put on a life support machine and given a ten per cent chance of survival by doctors, who later had to remove all of her limbs.
To follow Harmonie’s progress visit www.facebook.com/HopeForHarmonie
