In a moment that left her mother breathless with pride, 17-year-old Phoebe Fahey recently stood before a crowd of 200 people at a fundraising ball and delivered a powerful speech. This remarkable milestone marked a journey of defiance against the bleak prognosis given at her birth.
A Prognosis Defied: From Limitations to the Limelight
Phoebe was born with a rare neurological condition called Moebius Syndrome, which causes facial paralysis, muscle weakness, scoliosis, and feeding difficulties. Her mother, Lyndsay Fahey, was told by medical professionals that her daughter might never walk or talk. "I was constantly surrounded by medical professionals who said that Phoebe would be limited in what she could achieve," Lyndsay recalls.
Today, that prognosis has been spectacularly overturned. Not only can Phoebe walk and talk, but she is also studying performing arts at college, embracing solo performances and even rap. "She doesn't let her disability get in the way of anything," says Lyndsay, 45. The emotional speech at the ball, which left hardly a dry eye in the room, was a testament to Phoebe's incredible spirit and the support that made it possible.
The Lifeline of Technology and Holistic Support
Lyndsay credits much of Phoebe's progress to the early intervention and specialist support found at Rainbow Hub, a Lancashire-based charity she now leads as CEO. The charity supports children with acquired brain injuries or neurological conditions through conductive education—a holistic approach combining learning with therapy.
Driven by her own experiences navigating a conventional school system with Phoebe, Lyndsay spearheaded the opening of the Rainbow Hub School last year. The purpose-built school for children aged 4 to 16 with physical disabilities and neurological conditions features ceiling hoists, wide corridors, and individual curricula blending education with physio, occupational, and speech therapy.
This summer, Rainbow Hub's work was supercharged by a £25,000 gift of life-changing technology from Lifelites, the charity at the heart of the Mirror's Christmas appeal. Lifelites is the sole UK charity dedicated to providing assistive and sensory tech for children with life-limiting conditions, partnering with 65 hospices and care services.
How Technology Unlocks Potential
The impact of this technology has been profound. The suite includes:
- Eyegaze: Allows users to control a device using only their eyes, enabling non-verbal children to communicate and create art independently.
- iClick switches: Let children control kitchen appliances, lights, and fans, promoting independence in life skills.
- Magic Carpet & PODS sensory tent: Provide interactive visual and sensory experiences.
- Cosmo Switches and cause-and-effect toys: Encourage engagement and developmental progress.
Lyndsay shares powerful examples: a young boy named Louis, who went from engaging with nothing to using toys independently, and 18-year-old Alex, whose mother wept when she received artwork he created entirely by himself using Eyegaze. "It gives children a voice and a level of control," Lyndsay emphasises.
A Mother's Mission to Help Other Families
Lyndsay's journey from criminal defence lawyer to charity CEO was born from necessity and passion. After Phoebe's birth, her hospital stays made her former career untenable. She began volunteering at Rainbow Hub, using her skills to write funding bids, eventually rising to lead the organisation.
"I feel very privileged to be in my position to help other families," she states. "It made such a difference to mine and Phoebe's life." Rainbow Hub now supports 135 children every week across its nursery, school, and therapy services.
Lyndsay's story is shared to champion the Mirror's Christmas appeal for Lifelites, aiming to 'Unwrap the Magic of Christmas' for thousands more children by providing them with transformative technology. With 85,000 of the 100,000 UK children with life-limiting conditions still without access to such tools, the call for donations is urgent. This technology doesn't just entertain; it unlocks communication, learning, and joy for children for whom such experiences are often out of reach.
