0:00:02 > 0:00:07Meet Alan, a happy young boy from an ordinary family
0:00:07 > 0:00:10who likes nothing more than playing video games,
0:00:10 > 0:00:13wrestling with his stepdad
0:00:13 > 0:00:16and sometimes even doing his homework.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20Just an ordinary boy.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31Alan was born with hands, but after a serious illness,
0:00:31 > 0:00:33the decision had to be made
0:00:33 > 0:00:35to have them amputated to save his life.
0:00:37 > 0:00:43The last time I held Alan's hand was the night before his operation
0:00:43 > 0:00:45for him to have his hands removed.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Now, at the age of ten, he has learned to cope,
0:00:50 > 0:00:53but still struggles with some things we take for granted.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57He held his hand out with a tiny little bit of food on
0:00:57 > 0:01:01and it was slipping off his hand.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Oh, I can't do it!
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Even with his closest friends,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08he refuses to talk about his disability.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11How does it feel not to have fingers, Al?
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Uh-uh.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19But this young boy is about to embark on an extraordinary journey.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24Alan is about to be given the chance of being the first child in Wales
0:01:24 > 0:01:26and the second youngest in the world
0:01:26 > 0:01:30to receive a state of the art £30,000 bionic hand.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36We follow Alan on his ground-breaking journey.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39This is Alan's story.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50'I'm Alan, I'm ten years old
0:01:50 > 0:01:53'and I live in Loughor, near Swansea.
0:01:55 > 0:01:59'I can unzip my coat
0:01:59 > 0:02:03'and I can climb
0:02:03 > 0:02:05'and swing on a swing.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10'My dream is to ride a bike like a big boy.'
0:02:11 > 0:02:15Alan has had many challenges in his short life,
0:02:15 > 0:02:19but he has faced all of them with amazing determination
0:02:19 > 0:02:20and that hasn't gone unrecognised,
0:02:20 > 0:02:24as he recently won a Child of Courage Award.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Now, his mum told us in her nomination,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30"All my brave little boy wants
0:02:30 > 0:02:33"is to be like all the other kids his age -
0:02:33 > 0:02:36"independent, being able to ride a bike,
0:02:36 > 0:02:39"eat with a knife and fork and dress himself."
0:02:39 > 0:02:40His mum also added,
0:02:40 > 0:02:45"So I'm doing everything in my power to make his dreams come true."
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Ladies and gentlemen, Alan Gifford!
0:02:53 > 0:02:57Alan's mum Hannah has worked tirelessly for the past year,
0:02:57 > 0:02:59raising the £30,000 needed for Alan
0:02:59 > 0:03:02to receive a state of the art bionic hand,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05which isn't available on the NHS.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09It hasn't been an easy task with hours and hours of research
0:03:09 > 0:03:14and countless charity events, coffee mornings, auctions
0:03:14 > 0:03:16and motorcycle rideouts to raise funds
0:03:16 > 0:03:18for the Hands For Alan charity.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26When I found out I was pregnant, I couldn't have been happier.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29He was born normal. He was born on time.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34They scanned Alan after he was born and found out
0:03:34 > 0:03:39blood flow wasn't getting round his body as well as it should have been.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46I was devastated to find out that, at nine days old,
0:03:46 > 0:03:52he had to have his first operation to keep him alive.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Between then and three,
0:03:55 > 0:03:59I'd say he's had easily at least 40 operations
0:03:59 > 0:04:03just to sort out his hands.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06That one there...
0:04:06 > 0:04:10Hannah's eldest two boys live with their father Nicholas,
0:04:10 > 0:04:11who was there by Hannah's side
0:04:11 > 0:04:14through Alan's very difficult early years.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15Yeah, that's what we call it.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19'I met Alan when he was a matter of months old.'
0:04:19 > 0:04:21I was there all the way
0:04:21 > 0:04:24through his time in hospital from beginning to end.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31He was in and out of hospital quite a lot for various reasons.
0:04:31 > 0:04:37Not long before his third birthday, he had his major heart surgery.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39He went in for the operation in July.
0:04:42 > 0:04:47We were told by the doctors three times that he could lose his life
0:04:47 > 0:04:51and we had to be prepared for that, to get everybody in.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55It is one of the most heartbreaking things you could do...
0:05:00 > 0:05:03..to know that could be the last time you see him.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14It shows what a little fighter he is because he beat it three times.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22Alan pulled through, but that wasn't the end of the agony for them.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31He was in intensive care then for the first week.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37I noticed that Alan's fingertips were starting to turn black.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46And later in the week, both hands,
0:05:46 > 0:05:48right down to the wrists,
0:05:48 > 0:05:51were completely black.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Although Alan's hands were dying, doctors had to wait
0:05:55 > 0:05:58until he was strong enough to undergo more surgery.
0:06:01 > 0:06:06Just after his third birthday, they said he was well enough
0:06:06 > 0:06:09to go for the operation to have his hands removed.
0:06:16 > 0:06:23After the operation, he came through it OK and he was back, he was alive.
0:06:23 > 0:06:24That's all that mattered.
0:06:24 > 0:06:30I didn't care that he had no hands because he was alive.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33That's all I kept thinking, "He's alive, he's here with me.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35"I haven't lost my son."
0:06:39 > 0:06:43When Alan came out of hospital after having his fingers removed,
0:06:43 > 0:06:47I was seven and I knew that he was different
0:06:47 > 0:06:49because he didn't have his fingers,
0:06:49 > 0:06:51but I didn't treat him any differently.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54He was still my little brother.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58All I knew was that he was alive, he was here and now I'm 15
0:06:58 > 0:07:02and I know everything that was going on, I understand it now.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07His family have been a great support throughout,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09but Alan had to face the challenge
0:07:09 > 0:07:11of going to school just like any child.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17All right, Alan? Make sure you stay in the lines.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19'He's a joy to teach.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21'He's happy, he's determined,'
0:07:21 > 0:07:26he puts 100% effort into everything he does.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30'I was apprehensive because I'd never taught anyone without hands.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34'You don't know what to expect, do you, but sometimes you forget that
0:07:34 > 0:07:39'he's got no hands cos he's just as able as other children in the class.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42'Yeah, his handwriting is really good.
0:07:42 > 0:07:44'You wouldn't even think he has a disability
0:07:44 > 0:07:47'and he absolutely loves handwriting.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49'It's one of his favourite subjects.'
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Even though Alan has mastered a host of practical tasks,
0:07:52 > 0:07:57he still struggles to talk about his disability.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59How does it feel not to have fingers, Al?
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Uh-uh.
0:08:02 > 0:08:03What?
0:08:03 > 0:08:05- I'll not tell you that, like.- OK.
0:08:07 > 0:08:08Does it feel normal?
0:08:10 > 0:08:15- I don't want to talk about it.- No. - When...- I don't like it.- Huh?
0:08:15 > 0:08:16I don't like talking about it.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18- He doesn't like talking about it. - OK, sorry.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22'We're working on strategies on how to get him
0:08:22 > 0:08:26'to be confident rather than being afraid and self-conscious.'
0:08:27 > 0:08:33'I like basketball because it helps you get fit
0:08:33 > 0:08:35'and it's a fun game to play.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39'With basketball, usually we use our fingertips
0:08:39 > 0:08:42'to control the basketball, so when I found out
0:08:42 > 0:08:44'there was a boy with no fingers,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48'I thought that would be very difficult and very challenging.'
0:08:48 > 0:08:51A little bit tricky to begin with, but he gets the hang of it
0:08:51 > 0:08:54and he just jumps in and carries on.
0:09:02 > 0:09:08'He is just a normal boy that happens to have a disability.'
0:09:08 > 0:09:13He's had people make fun of the fact that he's ten years old
0:09:13 > 0:09:16and he should be able to do it, but obviously he can't do it.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20People don't like differences, I find, so that's when we tend
0:09:20 > 0:09:25to get people saying stuff or bullying and things like that.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31Ben, Alan's stepdad, is all too aware that people's first reactions
0:09:31 > 0:09:34to Alan aren't always helpful.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37The first thoughts when I met Alan, I'm not going to lie,
0:09:37 > 0:09:40I was a bit taken aback.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43I'd never seen a child before with no hands
0:09:43 > 0:09:46and I didn't know how to react.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48'As I get to know Alan more and more,
0:09:48 > 0:09:51'I see the person that he is, the loving child that he is,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54'the caring son that he is for his mother.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58'Best way to describe Alan is a lovable boy
0:09:58 > 0:10:03'who will do anything for anyone, no matter what.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05'He'll help anybody out any time,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07'especially his brothers and sisters.'
0:10:07 > 0:10:12I'm going to go on the zipwire and go high, go high at the end.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17'He surprises me and makes me proud every day with what he can do
0:10:17 > 0:10:21'and what he achieves and just being him.
0:10:21 > 0:10:22'He's so loving.'
0:10:26 > 0:10:28Get your shoes on!
0:10:28 > 0:10:32'Alan, at his age with his disability, has managed
0:10:32 > 0:10:37'to master as much as I think we're going to be able to with him...'
0:10:37 > 0:10:41One...two...three!
0:10:43 > 0:10:48'..which is why we decided that, OK, he needs something to help him
0:10:48 > 0:10:52'and after a lot of research, and a lot of looking into it,
0:10:52 > 0:10:57'we decided, right, the bionic hand was the best way for us
0:10:57 > 0:11:00'to progress with everything that he will need to do.'
0:11:00 > 0:11:04Wheeeee! Whoa!
0:11:09 > 0:11:14'Today, we are having a day out at the duck place near my house.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17'We are all going together -
0:11:17 > 0:11:22'me, Mum, Dad and my brother and sisters.
0:11:22 > 0:11:29'I'm so excited that I might get to feed a real duck.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32'It's a little family treat because, tomorrow,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35'I go to Scotland for my new hand.'
0:11:37 > 0:11:42'To feed the ducks is easier for the little ones, whereas, for Alan,
0:11:42 > 0:11:45'he finds it hard to get his hand into the bucket to be able
0:11:45 > 0:11:50'to get as many seeds for the ducks as the others,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53'and he's throwing them, he's dropping them.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56'It's a lot harder for him.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59'He held his hand out with a tiny little bit of food on
0:11:59 > 0:12:04'and it was slipping off his hand.'
0:12:04 > 0:12:08- Oh, I can't do it!- It's all right. Hey, give me your other hand.
0:12:08 > 0:12:13'Alan's feelings about the hand since day one has been excitement.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16'He wants to be able to do new things
0:12:16 > 0:12:20'as well as do better at things he can already do.'
0:12:20 > 0:12:23With this hand, he's going to be able to do so much.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26It's going to change his life for the better.
0:12:26 > 0:12:33'I would like to come back with my new hand and feed the ducks
0:12:33 > 0:12:37'and maybe they can try and take it out of my new hand.'
0:12:40 > 0:12:41You want some more?
0:12:41 > 0:12:45First thing I'm going to do when I get my new hand
0:12:45 > 0:12:48is to go trick or treating
0:12:48 > 0:12:51and hold my bag with this hand,
0:12:51 > 0:12:55and get the treats with my new hand.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Alan is helping his mum pack the case for their journey to Scotland.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10I'm going to wake up and everyone's going to get dressed,
0:13:10 > 0:13:16and then, we take the plane to Scotland, to get my hand.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20This is a very emotional time for Hannah,
0:13:20 > 0:13:25as the wait is almost over and it brings back some powerful memories.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29The last time I held Alan's hand was basically
0:13:29 > 0:13:32the night before his operation,
0:13:32 > 0:13:39and taking him down to the theatre for him to have his hands removed.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43'Even though I know he couldn't feel me touching his hands...'
0:13:43 > 0:13:45I love you.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47'..I still held on to him,
0:13:47 > 0:13:52'knowing that was the last time that we would see him with his hands.'
0:13:52 > 0:13:54Can I have a kiss?
0:13:54 > 0:13:56'Very emotional time, back then.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01'And to be able to feel that again is going to be amazing.'
0:14:06 > 0:14:09OK. All done!
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Can't quite believe this day has actually arrived,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17but it's here and we are set to go.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20First time flying for both me and Alan.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23To know that we've achieved the first part
0:14:23 > 0:14:30of our goal for Alan is just the best feeling in the world.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39The final step in Alan's long journey
0:14:39 > 0:14:43to a new hand will be Scotland.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46He's embarking on an intensive, week-long process of having
0:14:46 > 0:14:51his £30,000 bionic hand fitted and learning how to use it.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54This will not involve any surgery - the highly sophisticated
0:14:54 > 0:14:58electronic hand fits onto Alan's arm like a glove.
0:14:58 > 0:15:04But there is one major challenge - mastering the new technology.
0:15:04 > 0:15:10Touch Bionics is a manufacturer of a multi-articulating prosthetic hand.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14All of the fingers have a motor on each finger, which really lets it
0:15:14 > 0:15:18shape round objects much more like your human hand would.
0:15:18 > 0:15:24- Oh, wow, look at that!- Yeah! - That is an Iron Man hand, isn't it?
0:15:24 > 0:15:27- How are you, Alan?- Good. - Good! Are you excited?- Mm-hm.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31- Excellent, great.- Ready to do some work with the hands?- Yeah.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34The human hand is a major feat of engineering
0:15:34 > 0:15:38and extraordinarily difficult to replicate with man-made mechanics.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42And although this bionic hand is at the forefront of prosthesis
0:15:42 > 0:15:47technology, Alan has a long way to go to reach his own expectations.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50This will be a huge learning curve for him.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52The first thing we would do when somebody learns to use
0:15:52 > 0:15:55a prosthesis is we identify the optimum muscle
0:15:55 > 0:15:57sites for controlling it.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01So, these are within the residual arm and we can position
0:16:01 > 0:16:05little electrode sensors on, just sit on the surface of the skin,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08and that will pick up the best part of the muscle activity,
0:16:08 > 0:16:12which we then train to get clear and independent signals,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15one for opening and one for closing of the hand.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18What we've got here is a silicone socket.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22The silicone is a nice, soft and forgiving material,
0:16:22 > 0:16:24nice and comfortable next to the skin.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27We've got a zip in it, which is allowing it to just open up,
0:16:27 > 0:16:31so that Alan can push into it and position, then fasten it
0:16:31 > 0:16:33so it is securely holding on his arm,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36with the electrodes nicely in position on his skin.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39We'll now do the same thing again with your socket on.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42But now we've got the hand in position, OK?
0:16:42 > 0:16:44So, then you're controlling the hand,
0:16:44 > 0:16:46rather than just looking at lines on the screen.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50You can actually see the movements of the hand as well, OK?
0:16:53 > 0:16:56For the first time in years, Alan is able to move his fingers.
0:16:56 > 0:17:02But keeping a grip on any object takes huge concentration.
0:17:02 > 0:17:03Now, what I'd like you to do,
0:17:03 > 0:17:06if you could give it a little gentle squeeze and then just relax.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10And I want you to move your arm about with no signals.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Oh, OK.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14So, we've got the hand in position now.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17The socket is the same as it was, the electrodes in position
0:17:17 > 0:17:20exactly as they were, but, obviously, we've got the hand attached. So...
0:17:20 > 0:17:22That's good stuff.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26The tasks Alan could do easily before now become a difficult
0:17:26 > 0:17:28challenge with his bionic hand.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32It is back to basics for Alan, but if he can't get on top of it,
0:17:32 > 0:17:34his dream could end here.
0:17:34 > 0:17:39It's early days, but so far, so good.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42Phew! Heart-wrenching for me, really, to see him doing that,
0:17:42 > 0:17:46because I've never seen him using a hand before, it's...
0:17:46 > 0:17:50- HE SNIFFS - ..absolutely awesome.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53He's a superstar.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57The first time today picking up any object with the prosthesis,
0:17:57 > 0:17:59with the hand attached, so all the good work
0:17:59 > 0:18:01he was doing earlier with controlling his signals,
0:18:01 > 0:18:05he has now put into practice by actually engaging with objects.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09'He can then extend that, as their learning grows, to become
0:18:09 > 0:18:12'more adept in their day-to-day-type activities.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14'So, things that are more complex than just picking up and
0:18:14 > 0:18:17'putting down, so making a sandwich or opening packets,
0:18:17 > 0:18:21'preparing meals, or something that is important to Alan is
0:18:21 > 0:18:24'riding his bike, so we can look at those practical-type activities.'
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Are you going to tell us all what it says?
0:18:27 > 0:18:30- Because I can read it over here... - I love Mum and Dad.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42It's been a hard week for Alan, getting used to his new hand.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44It's the last day at Touch Bionics
0:18:44 > 0:18:47and everyone thinks he's ready to see and use his personalised
0:18:47 > 0:18:51and completed bionic hand for the first time.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55- Are you excited about seeing your new arm?- Yeah.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58What do you think it's going to look like? Iron Man.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02- Iron Man, you think so? Do you want to see it?- Yeah!- There we go.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Oh, wow, look at that!
0:19:06 > 0:19:08- What do you think?- Good!
0:19:08 > 0:19:11BIONIC HAND WHIRS
0:19:11 > 0:19:13THEY CHUCKLE
0:19:13 > 0:19:16Remember, we can use a different type of grip
0:19:16 > 0:19:20that might make it easier. So, which one are you going for?
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Alan has made great progress.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26He is now able to use the hand to perform more complex tasks,
0:19:26 > 0:19:30opening and closing the hand with muscle movement inside the socket
0:19:30 > 0:19:34and utilising the four set grips saved into its memory.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36To change any of these, he simply
0:19:36 > 0:19:40moves the arm forward, back, left or right.
0:19:40 > 0:19:4236 different grips can be programmed to the hand
0:19:42 > 0:19:45through a mobile app - a lot for a boy of ten.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48But Alan has never let anything stop him.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51Children like Alan get a lot of benefit from the prosthesis,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54particularly as they want to become more independent from their parents,
0:19:54 > 0:19:56to be like their friends. You know,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59they don't want to be left behind at school, or left out socially,
0:19:59 > 0:20:03so it's important to be able to use a prosthesis which will allow
0:20:03 > 0:20:07them to be much more functional in their day-to-day activities.
0:20:07 > 0:20:12It's amazing to watch, because he's never been able to do
0:20:12 > 0:20:15anything like that without assistance.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19Just to be able to see him doing it himself and actually buttering...
0:20:21 > 0:20:23Good! All right.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27With bionic hand successfully fitted and operational,
0:20:27 > 0:20:30a whole new world starts to open up for Alan.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33Each task, a brand-new challenge.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36With pen in hand, he now redraws a picture
0:20:36 > 0:20:41he made earlier in the week, with one significant difference.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45This time, the drawing has fingers on one hand.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51Wow, look at that!
0:20:51 > 0:20:52Look, you've got fingers!
0:20:54 > 0:20:55Dad!
0:20:59 > 0:21:00You're a little superstar.
0:21:10 > 0:21:11Come here, boy.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14Come here.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Ohh!
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Dad, Dad, Dad...
0:21:23 > 0:21:26All right, boy.
0:21:26 > 0:21:32'Oh, happy, we're very happy to be where we are now.'
0:21:32 > 0:21:35A new life ahead of you, isn't it? Eh?
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Yeah.
0:21:39 > 0:21:44And before he leaves, Alan has a special visitor -
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Josh Cathcart, the youngest child in the world
0:21:47 > 0:21:49to receive this kind of bionic hand.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51We knew Alan was getting his hand today,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54so we thought we'd come across and see how, um,
0:21:54 > 0:21:56they felt about each other when they've both got their hands,
0:21:56 > 0:21:59so, it's sort of a good moment for them. They're both the youngest in
0:21:59 > 0:22:02the world to have it, so, it's good that they're quite close together.
0:22:02 > 0:22:07And to help build their bond, he has a special gift for Alan.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09Oh, wow, look at that!
0:22:11 > 0:22:13Wow, that's brilliant, thank you.
0:22:15 > 0:22:20A world first - the youngest bionic handshake.
0:22:21 > 0:22:26I'm really looking forward to being able to walk out of here...
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Can't believe what I'm saying!
0:22:30 > 0:22:33..Um, just to be able to walk out of here and hold his hand.
0:22:36 > 0:22:37Sorry!
0:22:37 > 0:22:41- Thank you.- Thanks very much for coming here.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02Back home in Loughor, it's Halloween.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Alan said the first thing he wanted to do with his hand was
0:23:05 > 0:23:06to go trick or treating.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08And tonight is Halloween.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12I'm going to go to lots of houses and scare them!
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Raah!
0:23:16 > 0:23:19One of his dreams is about to come true.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22If he can get some treats, of course.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24- ALL:- Trick or treat!
0:23:31 > 0:23:34Another milestone for Alan.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48Today, we are at Alan's school, and it is the first time since we've
0:23:48 > 0:23:52been back from Scotland and got his hand that he's come to school.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56He's really excited to be able to show all of his friends.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00The first visit is to Mrs Sanderson, the headteacher.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02Let's have a look!
0:24:02 > 0:24:04You look a happy boy this morning.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07Wow! Goodness! What does it feel like, Alan?
0:24:07 > 0:24:12- Um, it feels heavy.- It feels heavy, does it? It does look quite heavy.
0:24:12 > 0:24:16What does it do? Can you move it for me? Oh, wow!
0:24:16 > 0:24:20- Wow, that really is bionic, isn't it, Mum?- Yeah, definitely!
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Amazing, wow. How are you making that happen?
0:24:23 > 0:24:28Um, I've got a sensor there and a sensor there.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32And that one is for closing, that one is for opening.
0:24:35 > 0:24:36Look at this!
0:24:36 > 0:24:38- ALL:- Oooh!
0:24:39 > 0:24:41That looks cool.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44A proud moment for Alan.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46Wow, silence!
0:24:46 > 0:24:48The room is captivated.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52And the once shy and reserved Alan is coming out of his shell.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55The first time he's been able to show off his hand in front
0:24:55 > 0:25:01of his class, and his wicked sense of humour is given a helping hand.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05LAUGHTER
0:25:05 > 0:25:09The confidence is such a change, in just a week,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12just his face is like, totally lit up, isn't it?
0:25:12 > 0:25:15- Yeah.- So, that's good, that's what we wanted.
0:25:15 > 0:25:21It made me feel very emotional, but also very proud of him,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24to see that his confidence is building, he is...
0:25:24 > 0:25:27"Yeah, I can do this."
0:25:27 > 0:25:28Alan!
0:25:30 > 0:25:33HE LAUGHS
0:25:33 > 0:25:35It's nice to meet you!
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Nice to meet you!
0:25:41 > 0:25:46Two months on and Alan is getting used to his bionic hand.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49He's learning to use it,
0:25:49 > 0:25:53he's adjusting things to how he needs things, he's finding new
0:25:53 > 0:25:59things he wants to do with it every day and it has changed his life.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Toast tastes better when you do it on your own.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11I am going back to the duck place today.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15I was upset last time, because I couldn't feed them properly.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19If you just put your hand down, they'll come to you, Alan, OK?
0:26:19 > 0:26:20There we go.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24Compared to what we were like last time,
0:26:24 > 0:26:29when he was struggling to get the food to stay on his hand,
0:26:29 > 0:26:34and now to see them actually feeding out of his hand is amazing.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Alan has found it a big challenge to learn to write again
0:26:39 > 0:26:41with his new hand.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45But now his teacher has started to see a marked improvement.
0:26:45 > 0:26:50The Thursday after he came back from having his hand - very big,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53very messy, lots of it.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57However, he did complete the work, but it's really hard to read.
0:26:57 > 0:27:02The following week, it got slightly smaller, we'd worked really hard
0:27:02 > 0:27:07with him getting it a bit smaller, reminding him to take his time.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10And then, this is the work that I think Alan would be probably
0:27:10 > 0:27:12the most proud of.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15The hand is great, with the technology and everything,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18he can move it and do things like he could do with a real hand,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22but at the end of the day, it's not a real hand, it still has its
0:27:22 > 0:27:25limitations, there's still stuff he's not going to be able to do.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28But at the end of the day, it doesn't stop him,
0:27:28 > 0:27:32and since he's had it, his confidence has soared so much.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34He is like a different child.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40All his life, Alan has wanted to ride a bike.
0:27:40 > 0:27:45Now he has his first bike and he's ready to have a go.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48It is another big day for Alan.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Everything that we've done, all the hard work, has paid off.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58It's been a hard few years.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01Since the day we decided to start all the fundraising,
0:28:01 > 0:28:03I never thought this day would be possible.
0:28:03 > 0:28:08To see him now riding his bike has made everything worthwhile.
0:28:08 > 0:28:13And, hopefully, now in a couple of years' time, he will have
0:28:13 > 0:28:17a second hand and there will be nothing to hold him back.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19The future is looking bright.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24I've wanted to ride a bike my entire life.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28And now, because I'm riding one, I feel really, really happy.