happy: abbi jillians has been given a pink hand through the pioneering 3d printer technology  the first thing four year old abbi jillians wanted to do when scientists gave her a new hand was brush her barbie doll’s hair the youngster – who was born with a just a thumb on her left hand – has been given the pink hand through the pioneering 3d printer technology she has now been using her new hand to pick up objects around her house, ride her bike, and even pinch her dad on the bottom full time mum julie jillians, of tavistock, devon, started a campaign to find local access to a 3d printer three months ago and said the new hand had revolutionised her daughter’s life the 47 year old said: ‘when we got home, the first thing she did was pick up her dolly so she could brush her hair with two hands ‘that is one thing she always wanted to do she had always loved her dolls and wanted to dress them   but i ended up always having to do it for her ‘it is amazing and wonderful to see her do it herself she is just like any other girl   barbie is her favourite ‘this is just so special for abbi the smile on my daughter’s face is from ear to ear with a bow round the back ‘i am now finding things all over the house there are apples upstairs she’s even managed to pinch her daddy’s bum ‘it’s fantastic the determination on her face is the sweetest thing, and the fact she’s willing to receive the hand and willing to work at learning to use it’ the hand works by opening and closing when abbi bends her wrist up or down it has a velcro which straps around her palm and the gauntlet sits on her arm abbi had an operation at 18 months old, taking parts of her toes to give her a bigger palm, and replacing the toes with hip bone but her mother said she and husband jim, 34, would not consider any more operations after seeing the success of her hand she said: ‘it is fantastic and we just can’t stop her using it she wants to wear it all the time and cannot believe what she has now got new lease: julie jillians says the pink hand has changed abbi's life and the four year old has been testing out the new kit by picking things up and putting them down all over the house  abbi's hand costs around £50 in materials to print a hand, so new limbs can be created as she grows  ‘she is still building up her strength and getting used to it   and she cannot hold anything too heavy ‘but she is going around picking everything up, from cups to fruit, and playing with all the toys she was never able to before ’she loves dress up as well and is finding that a lot easier now she has two hands abbi's hand is among designs available on a global database of 3d printer prosthetics and comes in 30 colours it was printed in around 20 pieces which were put together with elastic bands before a professional helped to fit it the hand is attached to abbi’s arm with velcro straps she can control it by twisting her wrist to tighten the bands the 3d printer was provided by it firm midwich, and the enabling the future website printed it out and helped fit it a midwich spokesman said nhs prosthetics were usually for aesthetic purposes only and did not move or grip he added that it costs around £50 in materials to print a hand, so new limbs can be created as a child grows ‘she was never able to ride a bike before as her hands would slip off the handlebars but she is now riding it around the house ‘the technology is fantastic the more she gets to use it, the stronger her wrist and arm will become there is no way i would consider another operation for her now   this is just way too functional ‘because her muscles aren’t as developed in that arm, we keep having to take it off her so she doesn’t overdo it but in time the muscles will get stronger and she’ll be able to use it more and more ‘it’s not going to be a permanent fixture on her arm but it’s there as and when she needs two hands’ abbi, who is in reception class at school, said of her new hand: ‘i love wearing it so much i want to wear it forever and ever’ mrs jillians launched the appeal for organisations with a 3d printer to help abbi, and the fablab at plymouth college of art, with the help of it firm midwitch, came forward the family has since raised nearly £4,000 to get a nearby school kitted out with a 3d printer to help other children in a similar position to abbi
abbi jillians 4 50
abbi jillians, 4, was born with just a thumb on her left hand . she now has a pink prosthetic hand through 3d printer tech . it costs £50 to print, so new limbs can be created as she grows 