Tony Hudgell, the nine-year-old double amputee who inspired the nation by raising £2 million for charity, has undergone his 33rd surgery in a bid to learn to walk again without crutches. The complex operation, performed at Sheffield Children's Hospital on March 14, involved removing his thigh bone and reinserting it back to front to encourage growth and stabilise his hip.
Adoptive mother Paula Hudgell described the procedure as 'life-changing' and said Tony is recovering well despite significant pain. 'The operation went well and the surgeon is happy for now. Tony is feeling positive and he's doing incredibly well,' she said. Just days after surgery, Tony managed to stand and walk a few steps with his prosthetic leg.
Tony’s birth parents, Anthony Smith and Jody Simpson, abused him so severely as a baby that he suffered multiple fractures and developed multiple organ failure and septicemia. He had both legs amputated at the knee when he was four. Paula admitted it is heartbreaking to see Tony suffer, adding: 'The fact that it was inflicted on him – that he was born perfectly healthy and now has to endure this – is so unfair.'
Tony now has a fixator cage attached to his left leg, which will require weekly realignment at Sheffield Children's Hospital, a 400-mile round trip from the family home in Kings Hill, Kent. The cage will remain for up to a year, after which he will need another operation to remove it. He may also require the same procedure on his right leg and further surgery in his teens.
Paula, who recently completed chemotherapy for bowel cancer, said the family is raising funds to cover the costs of a wheelchair and travel expenses. Despite the challenges, Tony remains determined. 'He always pushes himself further than he really should,' Paula said. 'He blows us away. We are very, very proud of him.'
