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Hardeep's Sunday Lunch

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Hardeep Singh Kohli travels the UK cooking Sunday lunch for people with remarkable stories

Hardeep Singh Kohli travels around the UK cooking Sunday lunch for people with remarkable stories

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Hardeep's Sunday Lunch: Series 4

Hardeep's Sunday Lunch: Series 4: Hands

08/11/2015

Hands

Series 4

BBC Radio 4 - Hardeep's Sunday Lunch, Series 4, Hands

Hardeep meets Corinne Hutton, who is in line to make British medical history.

Corinne Hutton is in line to make medical history as the first person in Britain to have a double hand transplant. Hardeep cooks lunch and hears her moving and amazing story.

Hardeep cooks lunch with Corinne Hutton who's in line to be the first person in the UK to have a double hand transplant. Her bag is packed and the call to travel to hospital for the operation could come at any moment. Not only does Corinne not have any hands, she doesn't have any feet either. They were amputated two years ago after what she thought was a bad cough turned into pneumonia and eventually septicaemia. Though doctors saved her life, they couldn't save her hands and feet. She's focused on regaining her health and as much independence as possible, living alone with her young son. 

Since her illness, Corinne has been busy with her own physiotherapy and treatment and also raising money and helping other people who have experienced life changing trauma through her charity, Finding your Feet. She is hoping new hands will enable her to do even more - but things will get worse before they get better, as her lunch companion, Mark Cahill helps explain. Mark had a hand transplant two years ago. He's really pleased with the results but it is a slow process and takes time to gain sensations and dexterity. He can't yet hold a knife and fork but is able to feel pain and hot and cold. Corinne decided to agree to have a hand transplant after meeting Mark who allayed some of her fears. She's going to become very dependent after her transplant as she will not be able to use her forearms at all for months. She believes she has coped with a lot worse and is focused on the end result. Ultimately she says, "I want to hold my son's hand again."

Producer: Phil Pegum.

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