Jeremy is a role model for children

(Article from Leicester Mercury Oct. 20 1997)

MANY children with deformed or missing hands notice that the adults around them don?t have the same condition.

That’s one of the reasons why they take to television prankster Jeremy Beadle so easily. Jeremy has a small right hand, one of the signs of Poland’s Syndrome, a very rare condition that affects just 20 babies a year in the UK.

Although he admits he rarely even thinks about the condition, he has become patron of Reach, a charity which helps children with missing fingers, arms and hands.

He hosted the charity’s annual general meeting, held this weekend at Rutland Water. And just as with the other events where he has helped the charity, he won the hearts of the children themselves.

He said: "Reach contacted me because I suffer from Poland’s Syndrome and they thought I might be interested in becoming a patron.

"I was delighted to help. If my involvement means an event that would raise £500 raises £2,000 instead then it is worth it. "I do get a lot of letters from anxious parents worried about their child and I am able to offer reassurance that you can have a condition like this and still lead a normal life.

"I often don’t think about it, I shake hands with my right hand, if you see me on television you will see that I don’t try to hide it and really, I have never had a problem with it."

Once the thrill of meeting someone on the television has worn off, the children are anxious to ask Jeremy questions about his hand.

"Because these children have the same kind of affliction as me, when I talk frankly to them, they really listen.

"I tell them not to keep their arms in their pockets or behind their backs because it just draws attention. If they don’t think anything of it, no-one else will either, once they get over the initial reaction.

"I say it is not the size of your hand that matters, it is the size of your heart. I have always got on well with children anyway, with these children it is even easier."

Poland’s Syndrome is very rare and is not hereditary, aKecting three times as many boys as girls. In three-quarters of cases, as with Jeremy Beadle, it is the right side that is affected.

Physical differences

The most common physical signs are a missing chest muscle combined with an imperfectly formed hand. The hand may be small with webbing of the fingers and sometimes the thumb.

Apart from these physical differences, the child is otherwise normal

Some work can be done by plastic surgeons to improve appearance, but the affected hand will always remain smaller than the other hand.

The charity Reach does not just help children with Poland’s Syndrome, it is open to the families of all children with missing fingers, hands and arms.

Local organiser Clare Hickling has a son aged just under two years old with half a left palm and just one finger.

Mrs Hicklinq is hopeful that despite being told an operation is unlikely to help Patrick have use of his left hand, technology advance far enough in the future for that to possibility.

Mrs Hickling can be contacted on 0116 288 4376.

The national office for Reach is in Northamptonshire and can be contacted on 01604 811041