ART students at Darton College have illustrated a book about a young boy with a missing limb.
It has been written by Jane Hewitt and aims to educate children about limb differences.
Jane is a Barnsley-based author, photographer and freelance educator whose grandson Tommy Dengel, three, was born with part of his right arm missing.
He was born with a short forearm due to amniotic band syndrome - a rare condition where stray bands of tissue wrap around the limbs and cut off blood flow.
Unhappy with the prosthetic limbs provided on the NHS, Tommy’s dad Adam, of Shepherd Way, Royston, created artificial limbs for him using the revolutionary technique of 3D printing. Tommy can now pick things up, shake hands and play with toys using his DIY arm.
Adam and his wife Katie also founded The LimbBo Foundation which aims to help other parents and children going through the same thing.
Tommy had started hiding his arm from children at nursery because the other children were afraid of him and didn’t understand his differences.
The challenge set to the year ten pupils at Darton College was to illustrate the book Jane was writing to educate children about limb differences.
Art teacher Amie Hudson said: “All the portraits of Tommy are beautiful. We are incredibly proud of all the students and especially of how much love they have put in to this project, they’ve really taken it to their hearts.
“When Tommy visited the school, it wasn’t just the art students who welcomed him, it was the whole school. Everyone was high-fiving him. It’s such a valuable learning experience for these kids.
“We need this book in every primary and secondary school. It’s really important.”
The aim is to get it into as many schools and nurseries as possible.
The book is called It’s Gone - Tommy’s Story and has now been published.
It is available at www.limbbofoundation.co.uk and all profits will go directly back in to helping children with missing limbs.
