The Jersey Freemasons has, to date, donated £40,000 to the charity Lifelites, which will help donate assistive technology to Oakwell and Jersey Hospice Care for life-limited and disabled children across Jersey.
Lifelites donates and maintains assistive and inclusive technology for the 10,000 life-limited and disabled children using every children’s hospice service across the British Isles. The assistive technology gives these children the opportunity to play, be creative, communicate and control something for themselves, for as long as it is possible.
An essential part of the Jersey hospice projects will be the Lifelites Tech Trunk for hospice at home services. The Tech Trunk includes adaptive technologies and games for life-limited and disabled children so they can play and communicate with their families in a familiar environment.
Part of the Tech Trunk is an adaptive camera and an instant printer so that families can capture and hold onto these precious moments.
In addition, the assistive technology Beamz gives the children the opportunity to create music by moving their hand up and down, providing them with the possibility to be creative and make exciting music in a way they are able to.
These “life-changing” technologies will be accessible to every life-limited and disabled child using Oakwell and Jersey Hospice Care.
Hospice staff have praised the inclusive technologies, stating that they will have a massive impact by helping the children communicate. The staff added that gaming is vital for children and that it should be accessible to all children, regardless of ability.
Lifelites Chief Executive Simone Enefer-Doy said: “The fantastic donations we have received from the Jersey Freemasons enables us to give all life-limited and disabled children using Oakwell and Jersey Hospice Care assistive technology so they can play with their brothers and sisters and tell their parents they love them, sometimes for the first time.
“It’s wonderful to see that assistive technologies can have a tremendous impact on the lives of life-limited and disabled children. It truly gives limited lives unlimited possibilities. This is only possible due to the generosity of the Jersey Freemasons and its supporters.”