How Nine-Year-Old Zion Harvey, The World"s First Child To Receive A Bilateral Hand Transplant Is Doing, One Year After

Medical Celia Hoffman
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A pioneering surgery that lasted for about 11 hours was carried out on Zion Harvey – the first child in the world to ever receive a bilateral hand. A team of 40 led by the director of the Hand Transplant Program Dr. Scott Levin performed the operation in the operating room. Everyone – from therapists to pharmacists to nurses and doctors down to the housekeeping staff, were credited for supporting the little boy with all facets of life-saving care.

Obviously, a successful surgery was carried out, but certainly, no one would find coping with recovery from a double hand transplant easy, let alone this little boy. After the surgery, there were a few scary setbacks especially when it seemed as if the new appendages will not stay in his body. As his brain tried to adapt to using his new hands, rehab became even longer than expected yet Zion never gave up.

During an interview with NBC, the excited lad revealed how he can now do more that he even imagined like play baseball, throw a football and do a handstand. Even when it seem as if numerous challenges lay ahead for him, he surprised everyone when he started baking cookies with a whisk and play with his favorite action figures within just a few weeks of surgery.

To him, getting new hands is like finding the missing part of his life which now makes it all complete. However, Pattie Ray, Zion’s mom has admitted that watching her little boy grow up and not needing much of her tinges her joy with a little sadness.

The 9-year-old is growing to be very independent and he is showing it well. On August 2, Zion was asked to make the ceremonial first pitch at Camden Yards.