Grace Matthews, a teenager who lost her fingers and lower legs following meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia at the age of four, has become a pianist and is urging others in similar positions to be "determined". She appeared on Channel 4 show The Piano and is now recording a track she performed on the programme, which will be made available for purchase.
Appearance on Good Morning Britain
As she appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain, presenter Tom Swarbrick asked if she had ever doubted herself. "Did you ever think, 'Oh, this hurts, this is too hard' or 'I don't have the time' - did you ever think that?" he asked.
Grace replied: "A couple of times, but then I think I was just stubborn. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it."
Developing her own technique
Grace plays the piano every day, using a technique she developed herself. Her passion for music was sparked when a music therapist would play the accordion to her in the hospital. She told Tom and his co-host Kate Garraway: "I don't actually remember how I felt in the moment, but I always remember really looking forward to hearing the accordion."
Kate said: "But I suppose at the time, you might have, considering how you've been left by these two ravaging illnesses that you went through, you might have thought, actually I don't know whether I'd ever be able to do that myself. Or did she just inspire you to get stuck in?"
Grace said: "I think she just really helped to take my mind off it, like everything that was going on, and I think it also really helped my parents as well, because everything going on in the hospital, like they were obviously quite scared."
Gift of a keyboard
A family member subsequently gifted Grace a keyboard, prompting her decision to learn to play. She said: "I think it might have been my dad's auntie, she has a charity shop, and she gave me this keyboard after I was ill. So I think I was about 11, maybe, she gave me a keyboard that was donated to her. And then after that, I just sort of started landing on that. And then took it more seriously in high school."
Good Morning Britain airs from 6am on ITV.
