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Pianist who lost most of her hands plays in TV show

Mariam Issimdar
Cambridge University Hospitals Grace Matthews with long brown hair and glasses sits in front of an open Steinway piano. Cambridge University Hospitals
Grace Matthews, who suffered partial loss of her hands and legs, has taken part in a new TV competition series called The Piano

A teenager who had all her fingers amputated when she was four years old has played the piano in a new television series hosted by Claudia Winkleman.

Grace Matthews, 19, from Norwich, also lost her lower legs after contracting meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia.

She appeared on Channel 4's The Piano after her application for the hit show was endorsed by a music therapist at Addenbrooke's Hospital where she was treated.

According to her mother, Vicky Matthews: "Grace performed in front of a few hundred people and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. She also got on like a house on fire with Claudia."

She added: "Grace is fed up with hearing how proud we are of her. She keeps telling us to stop talking about it!"

Cambridge University Hospitals Grace Matthews is with her very smiley mother Vicky in front of a large piano. people mill in the background.Cambridge University Hospitals
Grace Matthews (left), with music therapist Dawn Loombe, took part in a new TV series featuring people playing instruments at busy train stations

It was in January 2011 when Grace fell ill with a temperature and was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital before being transferred to Addenbrooke's in Cambridge.

She spent nine days in intensive care, and despite medical efforts, her condition deteriorated, with tests confirming meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia.

Clinicians decided surgery was the only option to save her life.

Cambridge University Hospitals Grace aged three sits in front of a pink toy piano. She wears a pink and blue checked dress.Cambridge University Hospitals
Grace aged three, before her illness loved playing music

During her initial recovery, she was introduced to play specialists at the hospital, including music therapist Dawn Loombe.

"Despite her bandages, she took a shine to a set of eight octave 'rainbow bells', bravely accompanying Dawn, who played the accordion or guitar," a music therapy spokesperson said.

Once home, she progressed from a little electric keyboard to a full-sized electric piano.

Grace now has a traditional upright piano at home and plays every day.

The teenager, who also has prosthetic legs, plays a range of songs by artists including Pink, Adele, Queen and Bruce Springsteen, hitting the notes using her palm, half a thumb and the stub of a little finger.

Cambridge University Hospitals Grace Matthews at the piano with, in the foreground, dad Brian, mum Vicky, and Claudia Winkleman.Cambridge University Hospitals
Grace Matthews with her father Brian, mum Vicky, and Claudia Winkleman

Over the years, the family has remained in touch with music therapist Loombe, with Grace shadowing her as a music therapist for a day and observing some of the children's music therapy sessions.

These sessions take place at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, where the hospital's therapy programme is based.

She and Loombe still play together as friends.

"From the first time I met Grace, it was obvious that she was incredibly resilient and musically gifted," said Loombe.

"She loved all the instruments, particularly the accordion, guitar, piano keyboard and the rainbow bells.

"She wanted to play everything and could copy melodies in no time.

"I had no hesitation in recommending Grace for The Piano, and of course she performed beautifully. She is a fabulous musician."

Viewers will be able to follow the contestants' progress over the next seven weeks, with the final at Birmingham's Symphony Hall.

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