1st Child To Undergo Historic Double-Hand Transplant Returns To CHOP After Remarkable Recovery
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Tuesday marked one year since then 8-year-old Zion Harvey became the first child to undergo a double-hand transplant. He did so right here in Philadelphia.
On Tuesday, he was back at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and doing great. It has been quite a year for Zion, who was back in Philly to unveil an incredible recovery.
He was greeted like a star at CHOP. "I don't feel different," Zion said after becoming the world's first child to undergo the surgery.
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Zion lost his hands and legs because of an infection when he was 2-years-old.
"Zion is a pioneer whose success provides hope for other children," said Dr. Scott Adzick of CHOP.
"I can bend them. I can eat," Zion said as he listed some of things his new hands allow him to do. "I think it's amazing. I don't know what they think, but I think it's amazing."
Zion's hands came from another little boy who died and his family issue a statement. "We are very happy to see Zion doing well and know that a part of our son was such a blessing to another little boy," said the family.
"They were very nice for doing that," Zion said.
Like many little boys, Zion loves sports and he only has one complaint. "She won't let me try out for football," Zion said of his mother.
Zion continues physical therapy and doctors say they expect his hand function to continue to improve, but Zion said he still hasn't figure out yet what he wants to do when he grows up.
