Available online
Description
A team of inventors attempt to change the lives of three inspiring people with very different problems. 40-year-old Graham was passionate about snowboarding until an accident dramatically changed ...his life. He was caught up in an avalanche and buried under the snow for half an hour before rescuers could dig him out. Now he’s severely disabled, spending most of his time in a wheelchair, and with limited use of his arms and legs. But, despite all the trauma he’s suffered, Graham dreams of one thing, getting back on the slopes and back on his snowboard again. Can award-winning engineer, Yusuf Muhammed, help make his wish come true? There are already a range of skis and snowboards adapted for the disabled, but none that meet Graham’s ambition – to stand upright and control the board independently. Alexander lives with a rare genetic disorder that causes extreme sensitivity to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. He is 10,000 times more sensitive to sun light than the average person. If he exposes his skin it immediately blisters and burns and he has a very high chance of getting skin cancer. He lives at home with his parents and for the last 24 years he’s spent his life avoiding going outside. When he does go out he has to cover every inch of his body, including wearing a home-made helmet and visor which are bulky and draw the attention of everyone who sees him. For materials expert, Zoe Laughlin, it’s a huge challenge. She needs to find a way to protect Alex’s skin from the harmful rays which is light-weight and ventilating, whilst allowing him to go out in public without being stared at. Kyle’s ambition has always been to be a hairdresser, but he was born with a deformed hand making it impossible for him to hold hair while cutting or styling it. Determined not to give up on his dream he has enrolled at a hairdressing academy, but he’s reached a point where his disability is stopping him from progressing any further and he cannot complete the course. Engineer, Jude Pullen, needs to come up with a solution that will give Kyle the dexterity required to work as a professional hairstylist. And, in a world where appearances are everything, it’s important that whatever he designs looks the part too.
A team of inventors attempt to change the lives of three inspiring people with very different problems. 40-year-old Graham was passionate about snowboarding until an accident dramatically changed ...his life. He was caught up in an avalanche and buried under the snow for half an hour before rescuers could dig him out. Now he’s severely disabled, spending most of his time in a wheelchair, and with limited use of his arms and legs. But, despite all the trauma he’s suffered, Graham dreams of one thing, getting back on the slopes and back on his snowboard again. Can award-winning engineer, Yusuf Muhammed, help make his wish come true? There are already a range of skis and snowboards adapted for the disabled, but none that meet Graham’s ambition – to stand upright and control the board independently. Alexander lives with a rare genetic disorder that causes extreme sensitivity to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. He is 10,000 times more sensitive to sun light than the average person. If he exposes his skin it immediately blisters and burns and he has a very high chance of getting skin cancer. He lives at home with his parents and for the last 24 years he’s spent his life avoiding going outside. When he does go out he has to cover every inch of his body, including wearing a home-made helmet and visor which are bulky and draw the attention of everyone who sees him. For materials expert, Zoe Laughlin, it’s a huge challenge. She needs to find a way to protect Alex’s skin from the harmful rays which is light-weight and ventilating, whilst allowing him to go out in public without being stared at. Kyle’s ambition has always been to be a hairdresser, but he was born with a deformed hand making it impossible for him to hold hair while cutting or styling it. Determined not to give up on his dream he has enrolled at a hairdressing academy, but he’s reached a point where his disability is stopping him from progressing any further and he cannot complete the course. Engineer, Jude Pullen, needs to come up with a solution that will give Kyle the dexterity required to work as a professional hairstylist. And, in a world where appearances are everything, it’s important that whatever he designs looks the part too.
| Series: | Big Life Fix; Series 2 |
|---|---|
| Episode | 1 |
| First transmission date: | 26-07-2018 |
| Original broadcast channel: | BBC2 |
| Published: | 2018 |
| Rights Statement: | Rights owned or controlled by The Open University |
| Restrictions on use: | This material can be used in accordance with The Open University conditions of use. A link to the conditions can be found at the bottom of all OUDA web pages. |
| Duration: | 00:57:55 |
| + Show more... | |
| Directors: | Damian O'MahonyItamar Klasmer |
| Producers: | Ros Ponder; Tom Watt-Smith; Studio Lambert |
| Contributors: | Simon Reeve; Ross Atkin; Akram Hussein; Zoe Laughlin; Yusuf Muhammad; Jude Pullen; Ruby Steel; Ryan White; Haiyan Zhang |
| Link to related site: | Episode page on BBC2 website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09g5hwf |
| Production number: | FKJC461D |
| Videofinder number: | 230429 |
| Available to public: | no |
