Posted on 11/24/2009 5:39:00 AM PST by mware
These amazing festive images were painted by an armless thalidomide victim, using his right foot. The stunning paintings will appear on Christmas cards and sold all over the world.
Peter Longstaff's artwork pieces include flickering candles and another depicts a stag in a magical winter wonderland setting
And as well as teaching himself to paint, the 48-year-old has lived life to the full as a pig farmer, father and youth football coach.
Peter was one of many babies born with deformities in the in late 1950s and early 60s when their pregnant mothers were given the drug thalidomide to combat morning sickness.
But as a boy he learned to use his right foot like a right hand and was independent enough to complete main stream schooling growing up on Teesside.
Peter said: 'My right foot is like your right hand. I figured out ways of doing things.'
He opens doors and turns on light switches standing on one leg, using a mixture of agility and balance. As a teenager he had to endure cruel comments from 'ignorant people' but took it in his stride.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Stunning work. It is amazing what obstacles the human spirit can overcome. This gentleman looks genuinely happy.
Thanks for sharing this.
Very inspiring story.
I like the candles card.
Stunning cards! I like the candles one, too.
I’d buy these in a flash. Wish they were available.
It is not known how many thalidomide victims are still alive, though estimates of the original number range from 10,000 to 20,000.
Last year I met a young man — college age — who had arms that looked like they had the thalidomide effect. There must something else that can cause this, since I’m sure nobody has let thalidomide anywhere near possibly-pregnant women for several decades.
There are any number of things that can cause prenatal defects. In fact, it is rare that a baby won’t have at least a minor defect—which has resulted in any number of frivolous malpractice suits.
The common birth defects list is long, the serious birth defects list is as long or longer. The fatal prenatal defects list is long enough so that naturally, 1 out of 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage, usually not even detected. That is, they happen so early in the pregnancy that they are not even noticed.
There are genetic defects, chemical toxin caused defects, stress induced defects, and “bad luck” or mechanical defects, like the umbilical cord strangling the fetus.
This happened in my sister's pregnancy a few days before delivery...Very sad.
I think that makes him normal...
Yes, I’m well aware of that. It’s just that the limb defects caused by thalidomide are very specific, and I’m not aware of any other known toxin or genetic defect that causes that defect. It has certainly become extremely rare since thalidomide stopped being given to pregnant women. And like most of the thalidomide-affected people, this young man didn’t seem to have any other defects (mental or physical).
Wow... classy. I suspect he probably had to put up with a whole lot more than you or I ever did.
I suspect he would prefer to be considered normal. And, yes, he likely put up with more than the typical fat, non-athletic, pimply kid...
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