A HUSBAND-and-wife duo who run a silicone prosthesis and orthotics business are making a woman a free prosthetic hand after she lost three fingers in an accident.

Sarah and Mike Li-Rouse, who founded The Silicone Centre in Didcot before moving to Berkshire, have offered to make a young woman a free prosthetic hand to ‘give back to the local community.

Chloe Jackson-Webb, 26, lost three fingers on her right hand, excluding her thumb and forefinger, while loading her horses into a trailer at a Blewbury yard in August.

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After 10 days in hospital, doctors decided her fingers could not be reattached so Miss Jackson-Webb, a cleaner, has since been hiding her hand in her pocket.

However, once Mr and Mrs Li-Rouse found out about the accident they offered to make Miss Jackson-Webb, from Didcot, a free prosthesis to help with her confidence and self-esteem.

Mrs Li-Rouse, who started the business with her husband six years ago, said: “Mike has always worked with the NHS or private manufacturing companies but he decided he wanted to branch out on his own and make it affordable at the NHS classes it as a more cosmetic thing rather than practical.

“Most of our work is not local to us, we do a lot of things worldwide such as New Zealand and Europe.

“So when we heard about Chloe through her a client at her dad’s hair salon we wanted to do something good for someone local as we grew up in Didcot.”

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The prosthesis are made to match the client’s skin tone, nails, veins and more and take about six to eight weeks to produce.

Mrs Li-Rouse added: “Prosthesis helps people with their self-esteem – it’s giving them confidence. It will never replace that limb but there are wires in the fingers so they can hold onto things like mugs, bags, or in Chloe’s case, horse reins.”

Fran Jackson, Miss Jackson-Webb’s mother, said she cannot thank Mike and Sarah enough for their work.

“Chloe is quite open about the accident,” she said. “But there is an embarrassment side to it but having this prosthesis will help with horse riding and her confidence.

“Chloe is very strongminded and I’m very proud of her. I’ve been taken aback with how strong she has been and I can’t thank Mike and Sarah enough for how wonderful they have been.”

Mrs Jackson-Webb is now back horse riding and has been going through physiotherapy for her forefinger and thumb.

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Mrs Jackson, a police officer, added: “It’s really important people know they have this option – for confidence and self-esteem.”

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This story was written by Gee Harland. She joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford, Wantage and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

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