Long Blondes guitarist hopes to play again with help of 'bionic hand'
1 Dec 2008, 1852 Hrs

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London, Dec 1 Dorian Cox of the English indie rock band 'The Long Blondes' has revealed that he hopes to be able to play guitar again someday with the help of a 'bionic hand', after a stroke paralyzed the right side of his body.

The musician is undergoing neurological physiotherapy, and it includes training sessions with a "revolutionary" mechanical glove, which he is optimistic will help him to regain his right hand movement. The device is called a SaeboFlex, and it can benefit patients by supporting their wrists and helping them grasp and release objects.

"It's a fantastic service, it's helping tremendously and I think it can work wonders for me and others - it's almost like a gym for my hand," the Telegraph quoted Cox, from York, as saying.

"I know things might never be the same again and nobody can give me a definite answer about whether I'll play guitar again but I'm getting back on track with their help," he said.

PhysioFunction in York is one of the few places in Britain to offer the Saeboflex training programme, and Sarah Daniel from the organisation is positive that the device can do wonders.

"The outcome can bring dramatic results for some patients who can now perform tasks like holding a bottle to their mouth for the first time in years," she said.

Cox had suffered the stroke in a hotel room the day after the five-piece Sheffield band returned from a successful tour of the US in June this year, forcing him to confront the prospect of never playing guitar again.

"It was so strange because it came out of the blue and when I was told I thought 'I'm too young for this'," he said.

"It was difficult to take in because I thought strokes only happened in older people and I'd always been in pretty good health.

"My right arm and leg aren't really usable so I can't play guitar. That was a nightmare because it meant the band couldn't carry on and my livelihood had suddenly gone. But it could have been a lot worse," he added.

The Long Blondes, whose albums include Someone To Drive You Home and Couples, announced they were splitting up in October because of the uncertainty following Mr Cox's stroke. (ANI)