A PATIENT who has suffered from a condition affecting his muscles since birth has met The Princess Royal.

Princess Anne visited the University of Nottingham yesterday to hear how 25 years of work by occupational therapy researchers had helped lessen the impact of disease and disability on everyday life – particularly in relation to recovering from strokes.

Among those who greeted her yesterday was Brandon Fick, 21, of Kirk Hallam, who has muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair as well as a mobile arm support – which helps him to do everyday tasks.

He said: "I got my arm support when I was 16 and it has really changed my life. It enables me to feed myself, so my mum doesn't have to help me, and it means I can use my mobile phone and my laptop by myself. It has given me loads more independence.

"I hope to go to university soon and study 3D modelling and the arm support will really help me achieve that.

"I was quite nervous about meeting the Princess but I was excited too."

Two Derby experts – Dr Margaret Phillips, associate professor and honorary consultant in rehabilitation medicine, and Dr Lorraine Pinnington, associate professor at the graduate entry medicine and health school at the Royal Derby Hospital – were also involved in the visit.

Dr Phillips, involved in the research into the mobile arm support, said: "I think the mobile arm support is very useful because it allows patients who have weak arms to have a level of independence that they would otherwise not have.

"The visit went very well and it was a chance for the Princess to see the research."

Dr Pinnington said: "The Princess showed a lot of interest. I was pleased with how it went."