‘This may seem very strange, but I think I no [sic] how to make people or animals alive.’ - January 30, 2009
One of the researchers behind last year’s pioneering stem cell windpipe transplant has revealed an early interest in medicine.
Anthony Hollander, of the University of Bristol, has revealed that as a child in 1973 he wrote to British children’s TV programme – and national institution – Blue Peter to request help, with better spelling than mine at age nine:
This may seem very strange, but I think I no how to make people or animals alive. Why Im teling you is because I cant get the things I need.A list of what I need.
1. Diagram of how evreything works (inside youre body)
2. Model of a heart split in half, (both halvs)
3. The sort of sering [syringe] they yous for cleaning ears (Tsering must be very very clean)
4. Tools for cutting people open
5. Tools for stiches
6. Fiberglass box, 8 foot tall, 3 foot width.
7. Picture of a man showing all the arteries.
Personally I’m not sure if this is charming or terrifying.
Blue Peter editor Biddy Baxter wrote back to say “We are sorry we can't help you at all, but we wondered if you had thought of talking to your family doctor - he might be glad to help you with some diagrams and other information.”
Earlier this week the BBC published both letters, and Hollander revealed, “If her letter had shown any hint of ridicule or disbelief I might perhaps never have trained to become a medical scientist or been driven to achieve the impossible dream, and really make a difference to a human being's life.”
In a joke that will only make sense to those who have seen the show, the print edition of yesterday’s Current Bun headlined their version of this story: ‘Here’s One I Brought Back to Life Earlier’.
It is not known whether Hollander uses kitchen roll and sticky-back plastic in his current research.
