Five-year old Ellie Challis from Little Clacton, Essex has had tough start to life. Struck with meningitis when she was just 16 months old, she had to have both her legs and hands amputated to stay alive.
Though she was fitted with prosthetic legs soon after, she found them too painful and could bear them for only 20 minutes a day. A replacement pair with flexible knee joints, proved to be only slightly better.
Her parents then decided to contact a world-renowned prosthetic limb center in Dorset, where the doctors agreed to make her a junior version of the carbon blades that are currently worn by disabled athletes all over the world - the most famous being South African runner Oscar Pistirious, who holds the world record in 100, 200 and 400 meters running events.(http://www.dogonews.com/2008/01/21/the-fastest-man-on-no-legs).
While Ellie's parents were concerned that the little girl may not be able to balance herself on her new legs, it seems she has taken to them quite well, and can now be seen running around happily with her twin sister! Who knows, she may follow Oscar's footsteps and end up breaking a running record or two, with her spiffy, super-fast new legs.
Source: DailyMail.co.uk
