Prosthesis may help artist who had fingers cut off

FUNDRAISING efforts have intensified to help an artist who had her fingers cut off in an aggravated burglary.

The move came as questions emerged over whether a prosthesis allowing Alexandra Trotsenko to hold a paintbrush again would be covered by the public health service.

Ms Trotsenko’s attacker James Kenny, of Prospect Hill, Finglas, Dublin, was jailed for 16 years on Tuesday for using knives on her “like a butcher” when he broke into her apartment in 2009.

The artist is unable to hold a pencil in her right hand as she only has her full middle finger left and has lost her ring finger, while other her fingers are left short.

Donna Fisher, a prosthetist from privately operated prosthetic firm, said she met Ms Trotsenko to discuss how best to treat her.

Technology was not available to give Ms Trotsenko the sensation and movement she needed in her fingers, Ms Fisher said.

However prosthesis could be fitted using her remaining fingers to give length to her index finger and allow her to hold a pencil and “perhaps allow her to get back to her drawing”, Ms Fisher said on RTÉ’s Liveline yesterday.

However the custom-made prosthetic would be “very, very expensive” – an estimated €10,000, she said.

Ms Trotsenko said she did not have health insurance and Ms Fisher said because of this she would have to pay for the procedure herself.

The Health Service Executive said public patients were entitled to treatment “up to and including an orthotic device, which are available in a number of public hospitals”.

“Decisions about treatment is based on a clinical assessment and the decision to recommend such a treatment is made by a patient’s own consultant medical team,” the statement said.

A spokesman for Cappagh National Orthopedic Hospital said Ms Fisher did not represent the hospital. Her company IDS, while based in the hospital grounds is independent.

He said patients with similar injuries received prosthesis through the public system on an ongoing basis.

Speaking for the first time yesterday after the court case, Ms Trotsenko said she still hoped “when I get prosthesis I will come back to graphics”.

She had an exhibition of her work in St Stephen’s Green in 2006 to some acclaim and had illustrated a children’s book. She had been planning to illustrate a further book before the attack.

Yesterday she described it as a “miracle” that she survived the attack.

“I am really surprised I survived”.

She was in “constant pain” but praised surgeons at the Mater hospital who had saved her life and re-attached her middle finger.

She had suffered three deep facial lacerations as well as life-threatening wounds.

Ms Trotsenko has an 11cm scar on her neck only 2cm from her spine.

Ms Trotsenko in her 30s is from Russia but is married to an Irishman and has lived in the State since 2006.

She was “really touched” by an auction being held to raise money for her.

The Art for Alexandraauction is scheduled for November 27th at Adams Blackrock.

It will sell works donated by many artists.

Yesterday broadcaster Ryan Tubridy donated the annual Late Late Toy ShowChristmas jumper to the auction.

Details of the auction are at adamsblackrock.com