Retired teacher near Harborough says two revolutionary implants have transformed his life

A retired art teacher from a village near Market Harborough has never looked back after making British medical history.
Retired art teacher Bob Stafford, 70, from Wilbarston, had a thumb implant.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTERRetired art teacher Bob Stafford, 70, from Wilbarston, had a thumb implant.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER
Retired art teacher Bob Stafford, 70, from Wilbarston, had a thumb implant. PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

Bob Stafford, 71, has become the first patient in the UK to receive not one but TWO revolutionary implants for arthritic thumbs.

He’s gone on to carve out an exciting new career since the double operation – running one of the area’s most outstanding pottery and ceramics studios.

Bob, of Wilbarston, told the Harborough Mail: “The implants have transformed my life – they’ve given me a whole new life.

Bob Stafford making a pot.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTERBob Stafford making a pot.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER
Bob Stafford making a pot. PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

“They’ve just been absolutely fantastic and I’ve never looked back.

“In fact, I’ve gone from strength to strength and I’m living the dream running my own studio and teaching so many passionate students here.”

The father-of-two taught at Ridgeway Primary Academy in Harborough before training teachers working with autistic children throughout Northamptonshire.

“I was made redundant along with 130 others in 2012 after an amazing 35 years in teaching,” said Bob, who’s lived in Wilbarston over 30 years.

Retired art teacher Bob Stafford, 70, from Wilbarston, had a thumb implant.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTERRetired art teacher Bob Stafford, 70, from Wilbarston, had a thumb implant.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER
Retired art teacher Bob Stafford, 70, from Wilbarston, had a thumb implant. PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

“I’d dabbled in pottery and done my own bits and pieces at home over the years.

“So when a workshop became available at Dallacre Farm business units here in the village I jumped at the chance.

“With my arts and crafts teaching background I loved setting up my studio and it really took off.

“But I started to suffer terrible shooting pains in my thumbs about six years ago.

Bob Stafford in his workshop.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTERBob Stafford in his workshop.
PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER
Bob Stafford in his workshop. PICTURE: ANDREW CARPENTER

“I took painkillers and rubbed on ibuprofen gels and creams but nothing seemed to work.”

X-rays showed he had crippling osteoarthritis in the base of both thumbs.

“The pain was so bad that I was struggling to work in my studio and handling heavy cold clay made it even worse.

“I had cortisone injections into the joints in a bid to reduce the swelling,” said Bob, who works alongside his son Joe, a talented joiner and sculptor.

“But they are purely short-term solutions and the effects wore off after six months.”

Ever resourceful, the former teacher carried out exhaustive research and found top hand surgeon Chris Bainbridge at the Royal Derby Hospital.

“He told me they were looking for 50 people from here to Canada to undergo trials for a new groundbreaking operation.

“I was very lucky – I was in the right place at the right time!

“They were going to put a synthetic cartilage implant into the thumb’s joint where the natural cartilage had worn away,” said Bob, married to his wife Brenda for 47 years.

“I went to Derby for surgery on my left thumb in March 2016.

“I was awake but sedated during the operation – and it took less than an hour.

“I went home that day with my arm bandaged up but it didn’t hurt much.

“The bandages were removed after 10 days and my lower arm put into a plaster cast for eight weeks.

“The stabbing arthritic pain had gone but it took over a year of rebuilding strength and flexibility for it to feel normal.

“I had my right thumb operated on in March last year to complete the set.

“I made medical history as I became the first person in the UK to have implants put into both my thumbs.

“I feel so much better – I’ve been handed a massive second chance.

“It would have been impossible to run my studio as I was with arthritic thumbs.”

The brilliant craftsman now has over 40 people signed up on his books after turning The Shire Workshops into a teaching pottery powerhouse.

“We get people coming here from Harborough, Corby and Wellingborough and from as far away as Leicester and Bedford.

“We have potters in their 80s making some truly lovely stuff,” smiled Bob.

“We’re about to start evening classes in the New Year – I’ve never been so busy.

“I just love teaching and I love pottery because it’s my passion and it’s so fulfilling.

“And thanks to the pioneering implants and the brilliance of Chris Bainbridge I can do both.”

If you would like to try your hand at throwing a pot or two under Bob’s expert eye then please visit his website: https://theshireworkshops.co.uk/