Interactive assistive tech donated to disabled children at Oxford children’s hospice

The Shanly Foundation has supported charity Lifelites with £2,000 so it can continue to donate assistive technology for life-limited and disabled children in Oxfordshire and surrounding counties.

According to the charity, these children are particularly isolated and vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. The life-changing technology enables children using the children’s hospice Helen & Douglas House to play with their brothers and sisters, communicate with their parents and control something themselves.

Toby O’Grady is one of the children at Helen & Douglas House who has greatly benefited from Lifelites-donated assistive technology.

Toby is seven years old and has been diagnosed with Dravet Syndrome, a severe life-limiting form of epilepsy. He experiences multiple seizures a day and is developmentally delayed by about two years. He can’t talk and only walks with assistance. He has difficulties controlling his body but he can swipe with his hands and arms.

This is why he loves the Lifelites-donated interactive Mobile Magical Carpet, which projects images on the floor that respond to his movements. It enables him to play and control something himself and allows his dad to play and engage with him on his own level as well. When Toby visits Helen & Douglas House, he plays on it all the time.

Simone Enefer-Doy, Chief Executive of Lifelites, said: “We are incredibly grateful for the donation from the Shanly Foundation for our work with Helen & Douglas House children’s hospice in Oxfordshire. With our donated assistive technology, these life-limited and disabled children will have the opportunity to play, communicate, and control something themselves. For many of them, it is the first time that they will be able to play with their brothers and sisters and say ‘I love you’ to their parents.

“I greatly appreciate that the Shanly Foundation recognises the importance of Lifelites’ work to give children with limited lives, unlimited possibilities.”

Lifelites has been donating life-changing packages of inclusive technology for 20 years, and supports every children’s hospice service across the British Isles.

Tamra Booth, Trustee at the Shanly Foundation, commented: “Every single day, in children’s hospices across Britain, Lifelites are enhancing the lives of children and young people by enabling them to communicate and participate in truly amazing ways. The Shanly Foundation is delighted to be part of this process by supporting Lifelites to purchase assistive technology for Helen House Children’s Hospice in Oxford.”

The Shanly Foundation supports causes that help individuals and benefit the local community, including support for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, the homeless, those with mental health issues and people with physical disabilities, injury or life limiting illness.