Gosport youngster ‘excited’ to show off new bionic arm

AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD boy born without a lower right arm is ‘excited’ to show his friends his new bionic limb.
By Millie Salkeld
Published 25th Feb 2019, 09:44 BST
Updated 25th Feb 2019, 10:45 BST
Evan Joice, 8, of Gosport, has been fitted with a prosthetic arm. He is pictured high-fiving his father, Carl. Picture: Chris MoorhouseEvan Joice, 8, of Gosport, has been fitted with a prosthetic arm. He is pictured high-fiving his father, Carl. Picture: Chris Moorhouse
Evan Joice, 8, of Gosport, has been fitted with a prosthetic arm. He is pictured high-fiving his father, Carl. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

Evan Joice from Gosport is football-mad, loves swimming, riding his bike and playing X-Box.

His dad Carl says his son doesn’t let his differences stand in his way.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The 41-year-old said: ‘He manages incredibly well and has always achieved everything he has wanted to achieve. He always beats me on X-box, he swims every week, he has done jujitsu and is learning the clarinet.

Evan Joice, 8, of Gosport, has been fitted with a prosthetic arm. He is pictured high-fiving his father, Carl. Picture: Chris MoorhouseEvan Joice, 8, of Gosport, has been fitted with a prosthetic arm. He is pictured high-fiving his father, Carl. Picture: Chris Moorhouse
Evan Joice, 8, of Gosport, has been fitted with a prosthetic arm. He is pictured high-fiving his father, Carl. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

‘He’s never had a prosthetic before and it will help him to do a few more things.’

Evan’s shortened arm was discovered by doctors at the 20-week scan.

Carl said: ‘Initially it was thought to be a heart murmur or a hole in his heart which had caused it but then that turned out to be a random occurrence and was nothing to do with it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘It could possibly have been Amniotic Band Syndrome which is where membranes can wrap around limbs stopping blood flow and then they don’t grow but it has never been decided what it was.’

Evan Joice, 8, of Gosport, has been fitted with a prosthetic arm. Picture: Chris MoorhouseEvan Joice, 8, of Gosport, has been fitted with a prosthetic arm. Picture: Chris Moorhouse
Evan Joice, 8, of Gosport, has been fitted with a prosthetic arm. Picture: Chris Moorhouse

Evan is now the proud owner of a myoelectric arm which was fitted by the Portsmouth Enablement Centre in Milton Road.

Evan said: ‘It is quite cool and I am excited to show my friends. I have stood up in assembly before and told everyone about my arm and they were really interested.

‘The first time I put it on it was really weird but I have put on lots of different ones as the centre made it for me.’ 

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Carl hopes Evan’s first prosthetic will get him used to using one.

The father-of-two said: ‘He won’t use it everyday and doesn’t need to but we thought this is a good age to start getting him used to using one and the weight of it as prosthetic technology is being developed so quickly and I didn’t want him to get to the age of 20 and get the latest prosthetic and have never used one before.

‘Evan was a natural when it came to controlling the movement of the hand. It’s quite a heavy prosthetic, so it’s use is likely to be something that builds up with time. But if he continues using it over the coming months and years, then it could open up more opportunities for him as the technology progresses.’