Let us just say it out loud – he is boldly going where no fan has gone before.
An Inverness Star Trek enthusiast has had his prosthetic leg specially adjusted so he can wear his Next Generation uniform at a hugely popular comic event in London later this month.
Eddy McGurty, 41, from Merkinch, had critical adjustments made to his prosthetic leg to allow him to wear the cowboy boots that are an integral part of his Star Trek officer’s uniform to the event on May 27-29.
This proved a special challenge for staff at the prosthetic department at NHS Highland’s Raigmore Hospital because the boots had higher heels that the ones he normally wears.
But the team took his two-inch heels in their stride, making the required alignments to the prosthetic leg to allow him to walk safely.
Mr McGurty has adapted to it so well that he will now be able to spend three full days walking around with the other 130,000 people expected to enjoy the conference.
He said: “I didn’t want to go without my cowboy boots. I’ve been to half a dozen Comic cons and I’ve always worn my next generation Star fleet uniform. I’ve even got a ‘skinhead’ like Patrick Stewart who plays Captain Picard in the series.”
Mr McGurty used to work as a chef before losing his right leg because of blocked arteries.
Elaine McCurrach, Raigmore’s prosthetics service manager, is delighted that she and her team could help him.
She said: “Prosthetics is all about rehabilitation. We believe in helping people fulfil their potential and achieve the goals that are important to them.
“Getting to know patients and what is important to them is an integral part of this process. It helps us to set appropriate goals, and part of the rehabilitation process is helping them to find the best way to reach their goals.”
She added: “When setting up his new prosthetic leg, we had to keep in mind that the leg had to be correctly aligned to allow him to walk properly with a much higher heel than he had used previously. Something as seemingly simple as changing to a higher heel can have a detrimental impact on someone’s ability to walk, so it’s important that our patients communicate their wishes to allow us to set the prosthesis up correctly.
“In the event, he was fine. He adapted to it very quickly. And he is now able to walk safely. Safety is always a key factor.”
