2023.0098

Artificial arm prosthesis for left forearm, NHS issue, 2021. No motor function - designed primirily for cosmetic appearance. laminated plastic socket and forearm covered by brown silicone cosmetic cover; beige interior lining shaped to wearer's arm; white foam strip for enhanced fit around lower edge.

Production date: 2021
Production organisations: Steeper Group
Associated organisations: The Leeds Teaching Hospital
Labels: This prosthesis was designed for Enas Saeed, a professional model, poet and counsellor who was born without most of her left forearm. Originally from Saudi Arabia, Enas moved to the UK as a child in 1999 and subsequently grew up in Hyde Park, Leeds. She was issued with this arm free of charge by the NHS, but did not find it useful, subsequently fundraising for a £10,000 bionic arm.

Enas provided the following comments about this prosthesis:

"I'd have to take it off to do things because it was just there for show... it's literally hindering me rather than helping me."

"I wore it when I left [after picking it up from the hospital], and I took it off straight away when I was waiting for the bus.... [I thought] 'This is not gonna work out for me.'"

"My main issue with those prosthetics is not even the function part, it's that the variety of skin tones didn't feel like it was enough for people who are on the deeper shades [of the] spectrum."