BRAVE BATTLE
‘Bionic MP’ Craig Mackinlay who lost hands and feet in sepsis fight and was ‘hours from death’ won’t stand at election
He has said he will focus on campaigning for awareness around the disease
‘BIONIC’ MP Craig Mackinlay who lost all his limbs to sepsis has announced he will not stand for reelection in July.
He had returned to parliament for the first time this week after having his hands and feet amputated while battling a life threatening infection.
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Announcing his decision to not stand as a candidate in the upcoming general election, he said he would struggle to “withstand the rigours” of a testing campaign.
He wrote in a post on Facebook: “The snap election announcement has caused me 36 hrs of intense soul searching.
“Whilst my heart tells me to stand again, there being so much unfinished business across local regeneration and national issues which are important to me, my head knows this to be impossible at this time.”
He added: “I had hoped to phase my return to the House of Commons over the coming months as my abilities improved.
“Since leaving in-patient rehabilitation a month ago my life now revolves around various medical appointments. I face numerous future operations as a result of the serious sepsis that I suffered which very nearly took my life.
“I have only just started the prosthetic journey and I have weekly physiotherapy and occupational therapy sessions.”
He received a standing ovation when he returned to the House of Commons for the first time in months on Wednesday in a touching moment before PMQs.
After contracting sepsis in September last year, the 57-year-old was rushed to hospital and put into a 16-day induced coma.
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His wife was told he only had a five per cent chance of survival but he remarkably pulled through and now has had to adapt to his new prosthetics
Speaking about his emotional return to the Commons, he said: “I had the most memorable appearance of my time as an MP at this week’s PMQs: it was emotional and the experience quite surreal. I shall never forget it. I had expected it to be the start of my return. It will, however, be remembered as my last hurrah.”
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