IT’S a story which has inspired so many across Renfrewshire and beyond.
Corinne Hutton’s life was nothing out of the ordinary until a bout of pneumonia turned into sepsis in 2013 and the mum-of-one lost her hands and lower legs.
The 49-year-old Lochwinnoch woman was only given a five per cent chance of survival by doctors at the time and chose to have the amputations in a bid to improve those bleak odds.
READ MORE: Charity for amputees has made giant strides
For six years, Corinne waited for a double hand transplant, suffering countless false alarms and the kind of setbacks which would have broken many lesser mortals.
But, rather than feeling sorry for herself, Corinne decided to do something positive to help others.
She set up the amputee charity Finding Your Feet and proved time and again that a lack of limbs was no barrier to her ambitions.
As well as spending countless hours supporting fellow amputees to remain independent and connected to society, Corinne became the first female quadruple amputee to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania.
She did it all with a smile and was never one to let the tragedies of life get her down.
In January, Corinne’s long wait was finally over as she survived a 12-hour operation to receive the replacement hands which changed her life.
From that moment, even something so small as feeling the chill of a cold can of Irn-Bru in the palms of her new hands was celebrated.
Getting the chance to hold her son Rory’s hand again is something she thought might never happen.
For one little girl in Johnstone, Corinne’s amazing story has truly been an inspiration.
Katie Moynihan and her P4/5 classmates at St Margaret’s Primary were asked at the start of the year to choose an inspirational person to learn about.
She picked Corinne and, over the last year, the local hero has grown close to kids at the Johnstone school – attending assemblies organised by the pupils in her honour and showing off her bionic hands while she was still waiting for a transplant.
Gillian Miller, headteacher at St Margaret’s Primary, told The Gazette: “Katie’s gran lives in Lochwinnoch, so she knew of Corinne before she became ill.
“Katie was so inspired by Corinne’s strength and the fact that she has never given up, despite what she has had to face.
“Corinne has spoken to the kids about being strong and resilient, despite what life throws at you.
“She really is such an inspiration to all of us.
“It is just amazing to see what she has done.”
Corinne returned to the school last week to present the first handprints made with her new hands. The unique item had been bought for £1,000 by an anonymous bidder at a fundraising auction, on the understanding it would be gifted to St Margaret’s Primary.
Handprints have become a symbol of Finding Your Feet, with celebrities such as Paisley actor Gerard Butler donating their own to raise funds for the charity.
But, in true Corinne fashion, she was a little bemused by it all.
“Corinne phoned me out of the blue and asked if she could come in to give us a gift,” Gillian explained.
“We had no idea what it was or what to expect.
“She’s such a humble person, despite it all, and even said to us that she didn’t know why anyone would want her handprints.
“She said she would never put them on her wall and didn’t mind if we didn’t display them.
“The children and their teacher Eileen McMahon were in utter disbelief when they saw the handprints.
“It is something they will be able to treasure forever.”
READ MORE: Lochwinnoch woman has lived a life less ordinary
Corinne, meanwhile, insists she “never set out to be inspirational.”
She said: “I just try to push myself every day, get out of my comfort zone and set a good example for my son.
“In saying that, it was a massive honour to make this presentation.
“Katie, the young girl who picked me as her ‘celebrity,’ is just the sweetest.
“St Margaret’s have been fundraising for us for the past year, so it’s so nice to be able to give them something meaningful.
“I want to respect the anonymity (of the person who bought the handprints) but it must be someone connected to the school. Whoever it is, it’s a lovely act.
“It made sense for me to do my handprints after five years of not being able to. It was quite emotional.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here