Lifelites, a charity which donates and maintains assistive technology to children in hospices, is campaigning to win funding from GamesAid, a UK games industry charity.

The charity hopes to use the funding to increase its donations of assistive gaming technology to children in hospices.

Simone Enefer-Doy, Chief Executive of Lifelites, said: “Gaming is a vital lifeline for children in hospices. It’s a chance to play, to have fun and to be in control, regardless of the confines of their condition. It can level the playing field and give them access to a world where their disability is irrelevant. However, too often these children are unable to play the games they love because they don’t have access to the right technology.”

Lifelites notes that anyone who works in the video games industry can vote for it to win a share of the money that GamesAid raises.

The charity has developed the Mobile Gaming Hub, which is a portable unit filled with assistive gaming technology, including the new Xbox Adaptive Controller, which is the first mainstream controller designed specifically for people with disabilities.

The Hub also contains a selection of different switches and joysticks which can be used with the Xbox controller, as well as virtual reality technology.

Simone added: “Our Mobile Gaming Hubs can go wherever the child is, even if they can’t get out of bed. It can give them the chance to be in control.

“We’ve had incredible feedback so far, but we’ve only been able to donate a handful of these units. Funding from GamesAid could enable us to donate more, helping us reach as many children as possible.”

For people who work in the video games industry, or are studying a games-related course, and would like to vote for Lifelites, they can visit the GamesAid website and sign up to become a member for free. After that, people will receive a voting card via email.

The voting is open until Thursday 15 August.

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