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Woman's first steps since losing hands and feet

Richard PriceWest Midlands
BBC A woman wearing a white t-shirt is seen standing with the help of a stroller on wheels. She is surrounded by people who are cheering her on, as she uses a pelican crossing.BBC
Manjit Sangha walked in public for the first time when she visited colleagues in Stafford

A woman who survived sepsis and lost both her hands and feet has walked in public for the first time using her prosthetic limbs.

Manjit Sangha, 56, took a few steps at her former workplace, Screwfix in Stafford, where her husband Kam also works night shifts.

The Sanghas' colleagues are taking on a 100,000-step fundraiser in her honour and have so far raised more than £43,000.

The money will be used to provide Manjit, from Wolverhampton, with robotic hands while a donor is sought.

Manjit Sangha walked in public for the first time when she visited colleagues in Stafford

Waiting for a donor could take years, Kam said, but in the meantime robotic hands would help her return to a "normal life".

Manjit was determined to get back to work, he added.

"She has her ups and downs, but when she meets her colleagues and her managers come to see her – she couldn't have done it without the help of GXO, the managers [and] her colleagues giving her that encouragement," he said.

A woman wearing a white t-shirt is sitting in a wheelchair as she tips water over a bald man using a sponge. She is surrounded by people who are cheering her on. Beside her is a yellow bucket.
Sangha took the opportunity to drench a colleague as part of a fundraising activity

Sangha said she "couldn't say it in words" how grateful she was to those who had supported her.

"I appreciate that my colleagues care a lot. No matter what, they always stuck together as a team", she said.

"I was surprised when I heard they were going to do some charity for me, and I was very, very overwhelmed [and] very grateful to the people who've actually done all this fundraising for me."

A woman wearing a white t-shirt is seen standing with the help of a stroller on wheels. She is surrounded by people who are cheering her on, as she uses a pelican crossing.
Colleagues said Sangha had shown "such spirit" and that they were delighted to be supporting her

The fact that she was now walking proved "you can do it, no matter what," Sangha said.

Team manager, Jon Pearce, said she had shown "such spirit."

"Raising money for her in this way, this is easy," he said. "This is an easy thing."

Sandra Markiewka, also a team manager at the firm, said Manjit was a "fantastic" colleague.

"She always worked really, really hard," Markiewka said, adding that she was "extremely proud" of Manjit.

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