Latest news with #Leia
BBC News
23-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Girl, 7, wants others to see there is life after amputation
Seven year old River-Lucia is running around the garden of her Cheadle home, dashing up the steps of a slide and coming down the other side again and Leia watches proudly. She regularly films her daughter for their Instagram page, rushing up and down stairs, bouncing on trampolines, paddling in the Instagram River-Lucia is the fibular hemimelia warrior - the condition which ten months ago led to her left leg being removed below the since, and she and her mum have been trying to show others in a similar situation that life, although challenging, can be active and fun. Fibular hemimelia means one of the two bones in the lower leg, the fibula, is either shorter than normal or missing altogether, causing one leg to be shorter than the are born with the condition – in River-Lucia's case, Leia was told during her 20 week scan."In this world we are all born different. We all look different," said LeiaShe added: "Parents might find it hard to understand and think that the child's going to be treated different or not able to fit in a mainstream school. "They can and looking at River-Lucia's page you can see she's just normal like any other kid. She's just doing what they do." In Greater Manchester parents like Leia are usually referred to the Specialised Ability Centre in Wythenshawe before their child is even born. It is one of the biggest centres in the country offering both prosthetic (artificial) limbs and external support for existing limbs like built up shoes and most of their patients are adults, the centre does see around 150 children a year, who will stay within their services for the rest of their lives. Lara Littler, centre manager, said: "We see patients at pre-natal, we see expectant mothers…and then right after the child is born they will be seen by us and we will support that family through the emotional side, the physical side, the development aspects, all the way through." Staff also talk over the different options for each River-Lucia's case, the increasing difference in length could only be treated by multiple leg lengthening surgeries, which involve wearing an external cage for months and can lead to serious complications, or an amputation. "It was the most difficult decision of our lives," said Leia."We could have done it earlier when she was a baby but we held back as we wanted to see how her foot would grow""We waited until she was at an age to understand it all, showed her pictures, introduced her to other children…and when we showed River-Lucia the two options, she said "amputation" straight away"Last September, when she was six-years-old, River-Lucia had the lower part of her leg removed."It was such a shock. You can prepare yourself all you like but until you're actually there, it was all questions going on in my head, I couldn't sleep, it was 'are we making the right decision? are we going to regret this?'" said Leia. Shannon Hughes is a prosthetist, a specialist in all aspects of prosthetic limbs, who often works with children. She says anxiety over children undergoing amputation can be overwhelming for all concerned"It's really important that you involve the child and let them know that they get to make decisions too, but often you're working alongside the whole family, " she said."I think there's often a lot more anxiety around children….not knowing the future is kind of scary for most parents, but if you don't know anyone else who has a limb absence like your child then it's hard to know what the future might look like".Leia said her own daughter's limb amputation has been transformational – for the better. Her prosthetic limb has allowed her to be active in a way that external supports, like built up shoes, could not."You just saw her character come out…..She's got so much more confidence, she's not at my side anymore, she's not needing me for help. She must just feel so much more confident in this leg" Leia now hopes their Instagram account will help other families dealing with the news that a child might have to lose a asked what her favourite things are, River Lucia says: "Swimming, climbing, riding my bike, and running". Her prosthetic limb is covered with pictures of lions, for courage. Her bedroom, like much of the house, is filled with affirmative posters and ornaments. Many of her toys and dolls wear a prosthesis."We do have struggles at home getting from A-B and sometimes we do need the wheelchair. But eight times out of 10 she's doing what other kids can do," Leia said."It feels good because we know we've made the right decision….She's just giving it her all. Everything she's doing, she's just giving it her all". Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
The Irish Sun
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
We were banned from entering Disneyland because of our ‘offensive' T-shirts, but our replacements were so ridiculous
GOING to Disneyland is a dream for many. But one couple was stunned when they were banned from entering the 3 The couple were banned from entering Disneyland because of their tops Credit: Imgur 3 But the couple were eager to get in sod ecided to buy new ones at the gift shop Credit: Getty The pair headed for their day of fun The black T-shirt worn by the woman featured the hair of Princess Leia from Star Wars with the words 'I love you.' The shirt worn by the man was also black and featured a gun and read 'I know.' The shirts are in reference to one of the most iconic scenes of the franchise where Han Solo and Princess Leia kiss before he is dragged off by Storm Troopers. READ MORE REAL LIFE STORIES However, according to the post the T-shirt designs were deemed inappropriate for Disneyland. The poster wrote: "My friends were forced to change out of their "offensive" shirts at Disney." The pair then went to the gift shop to pick out some new T-shirts to wear for the day and what they found was shocking. "Look what they picked out as replacements in DISNEY'S GIFT SHOP!" the user continued. Most read in Fabulous The picture then saw the couple hold up two shirts, one with a larger picture of Princess Leia with the words 'I love you.' The next shirt featured an image of Han Solo holding a gun with the words 'I know.' 3 What they found left them stunned Credit: Imgur Trolls branded my kids' uniforms 'inappropriate' but THEY'RE the real problem It's not the first time people have been visited Disney World in Florida, and she opted for a pair of black jeans and a white knotted crop top. But as she tried to enter Epcot theme park within the Disney World complex, Nicole was told her top violated the park's dress code policy. In a She said: "Guys it happened. I got dress-coded at Disney. "I was told to leave or get a shirt. So now we're getting a shirt." According to Disneyland's website, the dress-code bans clothing with objectionable material, including obscene language or graphics, excessively torn clothing or loose fitting clothing which may drag on the ground and create a potential trip hazard, clothing which, by nature, exposes excessive portions of the skin that may be viewed as inappropriate for a family environment and clothing with multiple layers are subject to search upon entry. How many Disney locations are there around the world? DISNEY parks are located in several countries around the world. Here's the list of countries with Disney parks: United States Disneyland Resort (Anaheim, California) Walt Disney World Resort (Orlando, Florida) France Disneyland Paris (Marne-la-Vallée, near Paris) Japan Tokyo Disney Resort (Urayasu, near Tokyo) China Shanghai Disney Resort (Shanghai) Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (Hong Kong)
Scottish Sun
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
We were banned from entering Disneyland because of our ‘offensive' T-shirts, but our replacements were so ridiculous
Read on for more Disney facts NO KIDDING We were banned from entering Disneyland because of our 'offensive' T-shirts, but our replacements were so ridiculous GOING to Disneyland is a dream for many. But one couple was stunned when they were banned from entering the theme park because of their outfits. Advertisement 3 The couple were banned from entering Disneyland because of their tops Credit: Imgur 3 But the couple were eager to get in sod ecided to buy new ones at the gift shop Credit: Getty The pair headed for their day of fun wearing matching couple shirts. The black T-shirt worn by the woman featured the hair of Princess Leia from Star Wars with the words 'I love you.' The shirt worn by the man was also black and featured a gun and read 'I know.' The shirts are in reference to one of the most iconic scenes of the franchise where Han Solo and Princess Leia kiss before he is dragged off by Storm Troopers. Advertisement However, according to the post the T-shirt designs were deemed inappropriate for Disneyland. The poster wrote: "My friends were forced to change out of their "offensive" shirts at Disney." The pair then went to the gift shop to pick out some new T-shirts to wear for the day and what they found was shocking. "Look what they picked out as replacements in DISNEY'S GIFT SHOP!" the user continued. Advertisement The picture then saw the couple hold up two shirts, one with a larger picture of Princess Leia with the words 'I love you.' The next shirt featured an image of Han Solo holding a gun with the words 'I know.' 3 What they found left them stunned Credit: Imgur Trolls branded my kids' uniforms 'inappropriate' but THEY'RE the real problem It's not the first time people have been dress-coded at Disney parks. Advertisement Nicole DeLosReyes visited Disney World in Florida, and she opted for a pair of black jeans and a white knotted crop top. But as she tried to enter Epcot theme park within the Disney World complex, Nicole was told her top violated the park's dress code policy. In a viral video that's racked up over nine MILLION views, the star filmed herself hunting down the nearest gift shop for something to cover up with. She said: "Guys it happened. I got dress-coded at Disney. Advertisement "I was told to leave or get a shirt. So now we're getting a shirt." According to Disneyland's website, the dress-code bans clothing with objectionable material, including obscene language or graphics, excessively torn clothing or loose fitting clothing which may drag on the ground and create a potential trip hazard, clothing which, by nature, exposes excessive portions of the skin that may be viewed as inappropriate for a family environment and clothing with multiple layers are subject to search upon entry.
AsiaOne
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Who doesn't forget easily and who doesn't gossip? Hong Huifang, Cynthia Koh and Pierre Png, cast of new Singapore-Thai thriller, talk people politics
Humans are social beings by nature, so surrounding ourselves with people is only inevitable. But when unpleasant words and deeds go around, how do local actors Hong Huifang, Cynthia Koh and Pierre Png navigate their people relations? Pierre Png told AsiaOne that despite how he feels very naive and forgiving, his peers call him a "typical Scorpio". The 51-year-old elaborated: "So far, it seems like it's true — once a friend, always a friend. Once an enemy, good luck to you." When asked if he bears grudges, he replied: "I don't forget. I used to think that I would wait 10 years to take revenge, but now I think god is the best person to mete out punishment and normally, that punishment is just right. When I take matters into my own hands, I might go overboard or cause myself more harm. "So yeah, as easily as I make friends, I forgive and just let it be. But I remember things." The trio were speaking to us recently on the set of Decalcomania, an upcoming eight-part thriller series that is a collaboration between Singapore content studio Mocha Chai Laboratories and Thailand's entertainment giant The One Enterprise. In the series, two women with identical faces — Neungdeaw, a hardened owner of a nightclub in Bangkok and Leia, a sheltered Singaporean socialite — suddenly have their souls swapped after a car crash. Neungdeaw must now learn to survive a world of high-society manipulation, while Leia must navigate a criminal underworld unknown to her. Both Neungdeaw and Leia are played by Thai actress Mookda Narinrak, 28. While Pierre, Cynthia and Huifang don't move in such cutthroat and vicious social circles as the drama characters, we were curious how they handle people relations. When it comes to matters of gossip, they die down with someone like Cynthia, also 51. She said: "I always believe if someone gossips about me and I hear about it, I'll go to the person directly. I won't go anywhere else. And if I hear gossip about someone else, it stops with me. I don't create any tension, and neither am I accepting any tension. That has been my work ethic for many years." Huifang, who has been a veteran in the entertainment industry since her mid-1980s debut, was surprised by the question and shared: "I don't know if I'm good at navigating people politics. I've never handled such situations before. Maybe if I had to, I might not be able to handle it? I'm not so sure. But I prefer to be peaceful." On encountering gossip, the 64-year-old said: "I can listen to gossip, but it's because I cannot move away from it. I'll just keep quiet, because if I add my words in, people will point at me and say that I contributed to the gossip, even no matter the extent." A transnational collaboration Part of a three-generation family unit on the Singaporean side of the thriller, Pierre plays Mark, a policeman who is also a doting husband and emotional "punching bag" to his domineering wife Sue (Cynthia). The latter runs a restaurant with her bitter mother Granny Lu (Huifang), who suspects that her son-in-law is in an affair with Leia. The youngest member of the family Fei Li is portrayed by Gladys Ng, who is half-Singaporean and half-Thai and fluent in the Asian language. A reflection of many youths in our current society, the Star Search 2024 finalist's character is a fanatic when it comes to Thai pop culture. Having recently become a mother-in-law who adores her son-in-law, Huifang is not so similar to her on-screen counterpart. "The more dissimilar my character is from me, the more I enjoy playing them. Granny Lu is too much of a diva — she takes one look at you, and she'll start cursing you out." Although Cynthia is currently single, she resonates with several aspects of her character. "If I were in a relationship, I think I'd talk quite similarly to my partner as Sue — a bit kanchiong , a bit 'grr'!" She continued: "Sue is someone who probably wears the pants at home a little bit. I'm quite a control freak in real life, and I can be quite impatient. To calm me down, I must mindfully and with full awareness say, 'Okay, do not rush. Calm down.'" Decalcomania is the first Thai production for Cynthia, Pierre and Huifang, and there weren't any expectations initially for them to pick up bits of the language. This eventually changed for Pierre however, as he explained: "Initially, nothing was written for me in Thai. But then we had a script-read and a discussion afterwards where we all agreed to have some of the cast members speak a bit of Thai. "Mark speaks a little bit of it because he's been following Peter Woo (Leia's adoptive father played by 'Chai' Chartayodom Hiranyasthiti) throughout his career. And because Peter throws an obstacle in his career path, it eventually takes Mark to Thailand in a back-and-forth investigation where he has some encounters with Thai people." In a 2023 interview with Lianhe Zaobao talking about her role as Lee Soo-jung in Oppa, Saranghae! (2023), Cynthia shared that she was frantic upon realising she had to speak entirely in Korean for a long scene in the drama. Between Korean, Thai, and any other unfamiliar languages in between, the sound therapist revealed her secret formula to navigating the unknown: Phonetics. [[nid:637847]] She explained: "You record the lines and listen to it like a song. And then once I can recognise the romanisation of the language, I will record myself saying the lines and send it back to my language coach and they would tell me what parts of my intonation I need to change." Expanding horizons Huifang, who starred as the main character in the Singapore-South Korea drama film Ajoomma, is looking forward to her involvement in this project. She said: "It's especially because I don't know how to speak Thai that I'm curious how everything's going to work — how the Thai cast and crew will act and work on set, how their industry works. As long as it's something I've never done before, the more excited I am." In 2018, Pierre received acclaim for his role as Michael Teo in the Hollywood film Crazy Rich Asians, where he starred as Gemma Chan's on-screen spouse. Now, working with Thailand's up-and-coming entertainment scene, he reflected: "Any time you get the opportunity to expand your horizons and work with different people, it's always a good thing. You cannot be too complacent staying in one place for too long. "My take from doing international productions is that you see not only the crew — you see the actors and directors from both countries and you realise that what you've learned here in Singapore actually transcends all nations; you're well-equipped and well-prepared." Cynthia also shared the waves she hopes Decalcomania will bring: "I really do hope with my heart that with this co-production, we have more opportunities to open our gateway to more Asian artists, production crew, producers and directors who have so much talent, but feel like an uncut diamond. "Now, it really feels like back in the 1990s or 2000s when singers would have to go overseas and return home to get raving reviews. And now with all the competition, like online streaming, TV can get a little bit rough." Decalcomania is set to debut on Thailand's TV channels One31 and OneD application streaming worldwide in December 2025, with its Singapore broadcast on Mewatch to follow. [[nid:720050]] No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
New Paper
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Paper
Singapore's Daniel Boey launches first clothing brand after 35 years, inspired by his late dog
After 35 years in the industry, Singapore's Godfather of Fashion is finally launching his own fashion label. Nicknamed that by peers in the industry, Daniel Boey has, since 1990, spent his entire career producing fashion shows for other people. From international brands such as Cartier and Louis Vuitton to home-grown efforts by the Singapore Fashion Council (SFC), he has been the creative puppeteer behind the scenes. Now, for the first time, the fashion veteran - who turns 60 in December - will get to stage a show starring pieces he designed. Because what better time than SG60 to do so? Describing it as "a label that non-fashion people can relate to, but has an edge to it", Boey tells The Straits Times that the timing finally felt right in this milestone year. Furry Tales combines the three things he is most passionate about: fashion, rescue dogs and eczema, he adds with his signature wide-toothed grin. Aside from his known advocacy for pet adoption, Boey is also an advocate for eczema awareness. He authored the 2017 book Behind Every *itch Is A Back Story, a tell-all about his experiences living with eczema. The name Furry Tales is an extension of his Furry Tales By Leia anthology of children's books released in 2020, told from the point of view of his late fur kid Leia. Fashion show producer and director Daniel Boey with his dog Luna. He is wearing a T-shirt with a print of his late dog Leia, from his new clothing label Furry Tales. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG One-half of Boey's Instagram-famous doggy duo Leia and Luna (@look_its_leia_n_luna), the 10-year-old female weimaraner died in December 2024. It was an excruciating loss for Boey, who adopted the former breeding dog in 2017 after she was rescued from a puppy mill in Pasir Ris. Launching in August at Furry Tales' pet-friendly pop-up concept store at CQ @ Clarke Quay, the label's first collection will be dedicated to Leia, he says, blinking back tears. "Without her, I don't think I would have had the courage or impetus to do this. She was such a stabilising force in my life and this crazy industry." Before, Boey had toyed with the idea of designing T-shirts to raise money for animal shelters. "I enjoy clothes, but to start a label, you need to have a certain signature, and a message and reason. After Leia passed, everything just fell into place. "I wanted to start a label where I could collaborate with artists I'm inspired by, to turn their artworks into fashion; and also use my voice to advocate for adoption, rescues and responsible dog ownership," he adds. Furry Tales showcased at Fashion For All in June. PHOTO: GODERIC TIA Priced below $200, the 38-piece collection spans T-shirts, hoodies, scarves and tote bags. Boey will set aside a portion of profits to donate to local animal shelters including Voices For Animals, which rescued Leia. He has already teased Furry Tales in two runway shows he produced in the past two weeks: Pasar Pink in end-May and Fashion For All on June 6. At Pasar Pink, he sent 19 rescue dogs - including his six-year-old female miniature bull terrier Luna - down the catwalk alongside models and non-models wearing his pieces. Even though his brand is not just for animal lovers, each piece was inspired by and named after a rescue dog. For instance, the Obi-Wan Draped Hoodie ($169) is named after SFC chief executive Zhang Ting-Ting's rescue golden retriever. Furry Tales' Leopold Link Tee, modelled alongside rescue weimaraner Xena. PHOTO: RUI LIANG Boey adapted the cover artworks done by Singaporean artist SKL0 for his anthology books, We Adopted! (2019) and We Adopted! Too (2023), and turned them into a signature print within dog silhouettes for the T-shirts. There are "Daniel Boey" touches too. The Leopold Link Tee ($109) comes with links the wearer can style by hanging chains, ribbons, pearls and other accessories, while the Uno Oversized Tee ($99) features exaggerated shoulder pads. Addressing sensitive-skin types, the clothes are fully cotton, cotton jersey or cotton satin to allow the skin to breathe. Even the bags, such as the Luna Scarf Tote ($149) and Leia Weekender ($159 to $189), are made of cotton canvas or cotton and denim. Furry Tales' Luna Scarf Tote. PHOTO: RUI LIANG He hopes to use his label and fashion shows to set a good example for responsible dog ownership, ensuring only safe leashes and harnesses were used at Pasar Pink. He has already received interest from pet-focused advocacy groups and multi-label stores to work together. Furry Tales' IYKYK Schedule B Tee and Lulu Pocket Square. PHOTO: RUI LIANG "I figured if fashion is what I'm known for, then maybe I can use it as a platform to draw awareness to rescues, and maybe eczema as well," he says. "It's taken me 35 years to start a brand; this is the beginning of the journey. The key to being successful is to be adaptable. "I thought 50 was the turning point. But no, 60 is." Outside looking in Though Boey had been courted with offers to start his own label, he never had the impetus to design and fancied himself "a better stylist and curator". Besides, many of these offers came from "business people", including friends, who did not understand the stakes. "I told them, if you want an industry that will allow you to make a quick buck, fashion is not it," says the fashion director, who has been staging Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts fashion shows since the 1990s. His own rise in the scene was unprecedented. As a geography and literature major from NUS, he was considered an outsider in the world of fashion. But that did not keep him from nudging his foot in the door. Daniel Boey and his rescue dog Luna modelling his label Furry Tales in a fashion show at Pasar Pink in end-May. PHOTO: SUNDAY SOCIAL MARKET He recalls how, as a junior college student in the 1980s, he would loiter outside Hemispheres - a now-defunct boutique at Delfi Orchard celebrating young local designers, founded by Singaporean singer-musician-designer Dick Lee - too intimidated to enter and join the "in" crowd hanging out inside. He did this every day until, eventually, a kind salesperson invited him in. Boey was later introduced to home-grown entertainment veteran Najip Ali, a prolific show producer and fashion personality, who became his first mentor and encouraged him to make fashion his career. Strength in numbers It is partly why Boey is so passionate about inclusivity and taking young creatives under his wing. Passing it on, the bachelor, who regularly mentors several young designers, will launch a collective of up-and-coming Singaporean designers in tandem with Furry Tales. Called dBX, it is meant to provide community and mentorship for designers, and is loosely inspired by Hemispheres. Tapping strength in numbers, the collective label would reduce pressure on the designers to put out large collections multiple times a year. Launching in tandem with Furry Tales is dBX, a collective of young designers started by Daniel Boey. PHOTO: BRANDON TAN The starting slate of five are those who were "business-ready": Joanna Lim (M0NSTER By MIRL), Esther Choy (ESH By Esther), Vouss Yang (Ther Yang), Joanne Quak (Jojo Quo) and Griffith Lim (Voiddeck). They will retail with Furry Tales at the CQ pop-up store and online. Helming it is Boey as curator. He has set key performance indicators for the quintet, including a set number of collections a year. They had to present to him business plans to prove they are in this for the long haul. The collective is also an evolution of The Front Row, the virtual-turned-phygital fashion festival Boey pioneered in 2020, in the thick of the Covid-19 pandemic. "The Front Row was relevant only during Covid-19. What was next? I thought, let's be relevant today," he says, adding that he has learnt just as much from the young designers about the digitalisation of fashion. Furry Tales in a fashion show at Fashion For All in June. PHOTO: GODERIC TIA Womenswear designer Choy was eager to work with Boey, owing to his "deep understanding and vast knowledge of the fashion industry in Singapore". "Sometimes, you have to know where we have been to know where we are supposed to be headed," says the 32-year-old, who has been working on her label since 2016. "As a young designer, one of the bigger challenges is the opportunity to be 'seen'. Visibility is very important in an industry like ours. Being part of this collective would enable people to take note of designers who are ready and hungry. Moreover, doing it as a team would make the journey seem less lonely, as we are all striving towards the same goals."
