From full body cast to model career for High Peak girl

Tehya when she was in her full body cast

Tehya Hopkinson was born with a dislocated leg that did not sit properly in her hip socket, and she needed reconstructive hip surgery at the age of five.

Now nine years old, Tehya has recovered after having to spend half a year in a body cast which stretched from her chest to her toes. It was during that time when she found a love of food and now cooking is one of her passions.

As a result, she was approached by Spicetech UK Ltd in Furness Vale to be part of its Mother’s Day campaign.

Gaynor Preece, from Spice Tech, said: “Tehya has been so brave and so positive throughout everything and when we knew she was developing an interest in cooking we wanted to do something to make her feel special.

“She has missed out on so much, from playing with friends to going on school trips, so using her, and her mum Sophie, in our Mother’s Day campaign has put a smile on her face, made her feel pretty and given her a boost of self confidence.”

Theya’s leg problem was not spotted by medical professionals for several years and by the time doctors realised her bone was not sitting properly in the hip socket she was already doing things for herself. After the operation she was very reliant on others.

Her operation in 2014 saw surgeons cut away at Tehya’s hip to give her a new socket.

Mum Sophie said: “It was really tough for her as she lost all her independence, she couldn’t move without help and she wasn’t really eating as she kept saying she was never hungry.

“Gaynor from Spicetech is a family friend and when she heard about Tehya not eating she would bring round samples and make her the official taste tester for a new product which she loved.

“Even though she has recovered from the surgery she can’t do some basic tasks like putting on her socks as she doesn’t have the ability to stretch down and put them on but she loves cooking.

“She is still registered disabled and she can’t keep up with her peers, but cooking is something she really enjoys and feels independent when she is in the kitchen, it is her hobby and is something she doens’t need ot ask for help with so it is really great she has been given this modelling opporttunity.

“She really enjoyed the day but as there was a lot of standing around waiting to get the lights right she later told me she doesn’t know how real models do it all the time.” More operations will be needed as Tehya’s legs grow in her teenage years.