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You are in: Leicester > People > Your Stories > Bionic Leg Man

David Huckvale's 'bionic' leg

Bionic Leg Man

A Leicestershire man was given a £40,000 bionic leg... for FREE, following a chance meeting with a doctor in a pub. BBC Leicester's Ben Jackson spoke to the bionic leg man about his amazing story...

When David Huckvale went to his local pub for a drink, he never imagined it would completely alter his life.

"Now I can kick a ball, I can go on bike rides with the kids, we can do a lot more as a family and I'm not in pain anymore."

David Huckvale

The father of two from Earl Shilton had his left leg amputated above the knee when he was 29. David found the artificial limbs available difficult to use.

He was approached while he enjoyed a pint by a man offering to fit him with a new £40,000 prosthetic limb.

It turns out the man, an American, worked for a firm in the states which specialises in pioneering artificial legs.

He'd spotted David struggling with his ill-fitting false limb as he walked across the pub to the bar.

Listen: Bionic Leg Man

It was an amazing chance meeting for David and one which has turned his life around. BBC Leicester's Ben Jackson went to meet him...

David Huckvale

David Huckvale

"We were going on holiday, so I picked my wife up from work in Burbage and we stopped off for a drink at our local pub, The Sycamore. I walked across the car park to the bar and waited to be served.

"A chap came up to me and said, 'your not walking very well'... I looked at him... I was OK about it... We started a conversation and he said, 'would you like a C-Leg.' (a computerised control of the knee joint)

"You think... What does he know?... Then he said, 'I have one lying under my desk' and that made me curious.

"You read about it and think I would like one, but you never dream of actually getting one.

"We've been saving as much money as we can, because we know it will make a change to our lives."

David had an artificial limb fitted by the NHS, but he caught an infection and was in a lot of pain.

"Now I can kick a ball, I can go on bike rides with the kids, we can do a lot more as a family and I'm not in pain anymore."

David Huckvale's 'bionic' leg

Listen: Prosthetist Interview

Prosthetist Alistair Gibson comes from Scotland, but works in America for a company called Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics.

He was back from his job in the states visiting family. Alistair's specialises is computerised artificial limbs.

Ben spoke to Alistair to find out why he decided to help David...

"I had a lot of empathy for David... We're both about the same age, both got two children and I just realised we had the resources to help.

"We do a lot of humanitarian work in countries like Afghanistan and Ukraine so I asked my company if they'd fund David's limb as well and they said yes."

"There isn't the kind of technology to do it in the UK so if first leg broke David would have a serious problem!"

Prosthetist Alistair Gibson

David flew to America to have his leg fitted and went over a second time so they could fit a spare leg for him just in case the first one broke.

Alistair said, "There isn't the kind of technology to do it in the UK so if first leg broke David would have a serious problem!"

Now David and his family have the chance of a normal family life and all because of a chance meeting.

last updated: 07/10/2008 at 14:51
created: 03/10/2008

You are in: Leicester > People > Your Stories > Bionic Leg Man



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