Five years on - 'human jelly baby' from Lancashire says work is saviour after pioneering op didn't work out

Linda Edwards, now 57, was one of only six people in the world to have her sternum – the front part of the ribcage - replaced with a titanium implant in a pioneering procedure back in August 2019.

The mental health support worker at The Harbour in Blackpool, had a bespoke 3-D printed titanium sternum implant fitted by a team of specialists at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

The brilliant, pioneering procedure was necessary after heart surgery elsewhere left her sternum so damaged she could literally swing it around and even twiddle one of her ribs.

It was because of this – after suffering life-threatening heart problems some years earlier - that she ended up having the procedure at Birmingham, after a wait of almost two years, having heard about it and campaigning to get it done on the NHS.

Despite feeling “like death” when she woke up after the pioneering surgery, the operation was a success and Linda was relieved to finally have a solid sternum again.

But sadly, despite the extraordinary ‘bionic’ operation which made Linda part of an exclusive international club, she was plagued by a series of setbacks, including some debilitating infections.

And things got even worse when Linda was injured in a car accident which left part of the artificial implant exposed.

In June 2022, the mum-of-three and grandmother finally had to have the implant removed after another serious infection – and her titanium sternum was replaced with toughened muscle.

Fleetwood woman Linda, who has had to show incredible powers of resilience during years of serious health problems and setbacks, said: “I’m like a human jelly baby in the middle!

"Basically I’ve got just muscle there, no breast bone.

"No one’s had the implant removed before, so I suppose I’m the first one.

"I think that if I’m honest, my body had been rejecting the implant from the word go.

"All the infections and problems were my body’s reaction to it.

"Things were really bad this year and I think it got to the stage where they had no choice but to remove it.”

Today, despite her incredible run of serious health issues, Linda is still working at The Harbour.

She said: “They have been absolutely fantastic throghout all of my health problems.

“They’ve given me the time off when I wasn’t well enough to get into work and they never pressured me to go back.

“And since I have been back, I can honestly say that work has been my saviour.

“I have good days and bad days with my mental health and my physical health.

“It has been really hard at times but my job has kept me going.”

The removal of a sternum is no small issue and carried its own health risk, with doctors at Birmingham advising her of the potential risks.

Surgeons skilfully recreated her chest using muscle from other parts of her body and she was only on the operating table for five hours.

Despite the magnitude of the procedure, the operation was again successful, leaving Linda a walking miracle, perhaps the only person in the world without an actual sternum.

Linda reflects: “There have been times when I wonder if it was worth having the implant.

“It is a wonderful procedire which hasworked really well for other people who have had it. I think I’ve just been very unlucky.

“Having said that, if I hadn’t had it done, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be here.

“And one of the other things that keep me going is getting to see my gradchildren in Australia who I still haven’t been able to meet yet. That’s still my dream.

Despite the string of difficulties Linda has faced with her health, she says that one of the best things to come from the entire experience has been the international Facebook group she set up for a small number of others who have developed rare sternum problems after undergoing various operations.

Members help each other with emotional support, friendship and advice, and the group – the Open heart surgery /Sternotomy/Sternectomy/Non-Union/Mental Health Support - now has 217 members from across the world.

They have offered solace when she was at her lowest ebb.

Linda has never been one to wallow in the doldrums, though - she still hopes to finally get Down Under and ses those grandchildren at some stage in the near future.