A seven-year-old girl who had both her legs amputated during life-saving surgery for a rare spinal condition has exceeded the expectations of surgeons by skateboarding.
Rosie Davies from Bloxwich near Walsall was born with her legs stuck in a crossed position and a gap in her spine.
She has Caudal Regression Syndrome and is one of just three people in the world to undergo life-saving and pioneering surgery.
Despite having her legs amputated below the knee, it has not stopped her getting around.
"She's the sort of child that once you meet her you realise she's got something about her," said her mother Amanda.
"She doesn't see herself as disabled, she conquers everything, nothing is unapproachable, everything is do-able.
"She meets things head on and if she can't do it she finds a way to do it."
Rosie, who describes herself as "a daredevil, nosey, and extra lucky", has great upper body strength. She uses her arms to push herself along on her skateboard and she can walk on her hands.
Surgeons used some of Rosie's amputated leg bone to fill the gap in her spine between the bottom of her chest and the top of her pelvis.
Special rods and plates were then used to secure her chest to her pelvis. As the bone healed it became a natural support.
"It was long and involved surgery and it was a major undertaking," said spinal surgeon David Marks from Birmingham's Royal Orthopaedic Hospital.
"Without it her chest would have fallen forward on to her thighs and she would have had increasing problems with eating, with keeping food down, with mobilising, and ultimately, possibly, with breathing."
He added: "She certainly has exceeded my expectations. All the other patients I have treated have really remained in wheelchairs. The surgery is undertaken to give them a good sitting position in the wheelchair. Rosie is the only one I know who has come out of her wheelchair and is an active young lady."
Rosie will never walk, but she does have cosmetic prosthesis that she can use if she wants, although her surgeon says that when she is skateboarding she is actually much more active as just herself.
Rosie Davies from Bloxwich near Walsall was born with her legs stuck in a crossed position and a gap in her spine.
She has Caudal Regression Syndrome and is one of just three people in the world to undergo life-saving and pioneering surgery.
Despite having her legs amputated below the knee, it has not stopped her getting around.
"She's the sort of child that once you meet her you realise she's got something about her," said her mother Amanda.
"She doesn't see herself as disabled, she conquers everything, nothing is unapproachable, everything is do-able.
"She meets things head on and if she can't do it she finds a way to do it."
Rosie, who describes herself as "a daredevil, nosey, and extra lucky", has great upper body strength. She uses her arms to push herself along on her skateboard and she can walk on her hands.
Surgeons used some of Rosie's amputated leg bone to fill the gap in her spine between the bottom of her chest and the top of her pelvis.
Special rods and plates were then used to secure her chest to her pelvis. As the bone healed it became a natural support.
"It was long and involved surgery and it was a major undertaking," said spinal surgeon David Marks from Birmingham's Royal Orthopaedic Hospital.
"Without it her chest would have fallen forward on to her thighs and she would have had increasing problems with eating, with keeping food down, with mobilising, and ultimately, possibly, with breathing."
He added: "She certainly has exceeded my expectations. All the other patients I have treated have really remained in wheelchairs. The surgery is undertaken to give them a good sitting position in the wheelchair. Rosie is the only one I know who has come out of her wheelchair and is an active young lady."
Rosie will never walk, but she does have cosmetic prosthesis that she can use if she wants, although her surgeon says that when she is skateboarding she is actually much more active as just herself.
Music : Sovereign by Kevin MacLeod
Source : SkyNews, Birmingham Mail
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