An innovative robot is transforming the lives of seriously ill children across the UK, allowing them to appear virtually in their school playgrounds and classrooms from hospital beds or hospice rooms.
Bridging the Educational Gap for Life-Limited Children
This groundbreaking initiative is at the heart of a new Mirror campaign to raise vital funds for the charity Lifelites and 'Unwrap the Magic of Christmas'. The appeal aims to help thousands of children experience life-changing technology, reducing isolation through special robots that let them join friends virtually.
At the forefront is Katie Simmons, the Children's Rights and Education Practitioner at Tŷ Hafan Children's Hospice in South Wales. A passionate former primary school teacher, Katie campaigned for a dedicated educational role after identifying a desperate need. Tŷ Hafan is the first UK hospice to launch such a programme, enabling Katie to provide tailored education to children aged three to 20, whether they are in hospital, at home, or at the hospice, including those revising for GCSEs.
"I'm a passionate believer that education brings so much more to young people than just sitting in a class and learning," said Katie, 48. "For children with a life-shortening condition it can be very lonely. Ensuring they still get their education is so important."
The Technology Making Connection Possible
Katie relies on technology provided by Lifelites, the only charity dedicated to supplying assistive and sensory tech for youngsters with life-limiting conditions. The charity partners with 65 children’s hospices and palliative care services across the UK and Ireland.
Among the key tools are:
- AV1 Robots: These allow children to be virtually present in lessons, assemblies, school trips, and even the playground.
- Eyegaze: Enables users to control a device using only their eyes.
- Cosmo Switches & Tilt Tables: Used for interactive educational games based on shapes, numbers, and times tables.
- Magic Carpet & Soundbeam: Project interactive images and translate motion into music.
While 15,000 of the 100,000 UK children with life-limiting conditions currently have access to Lifelites tech, a staggering 85,000 are still without it.
"The Lifelites technology enables me to deliver my role," Katie explained. "It's fully accessible to every type of child no matter their condition or ability... You will see the parents and the siblings all gathered round playing an interactive game, where that young person is really feeling a sense of being part of something."
Robots in Action: From the Nativity to the Playground
The AV1 robot is proving particularly transformative. Used by organisations like the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust in Worcester, it lets children undergoing cancer treatment stay connected. They can participate in Christmas nativities, lessons, and playground activities in real-time.
Sarah Tarry, Family Support Manager at the Trust, said: "They can take part in lessons, go to assemblies, they can go on school trips... They can raise their hand, nod their head, change their expression and answer questions."
A recent grant from Lifelites covers the cost of running 13 robots for two years, expanding the service's reach. Sarah shared a touching example: "We just had a message back from a parent who said their child absolutely loved it and all their mates were laughing as the child was making it dance."
Sanjeev Baga, Chief Commercial Officer of NoIsolation, the makers of AV1, stated: "AV1 helps bridge that gap by removing the barriers that illness creates, allowing pupils to stay present and engaged even when they can’t be physically in the classroom."
Rob Lightfoot, CEO of Lifelites, emphasised the mission: "Every child should be able to access education regardless of their abilities... We must give more children access to the childhood they deserve. The generosity of Mirror readers will mean more children can access education across the UK."
Katie Simmons, who has witnessed both the joy and the heartbreak of her role, backs the appeal wholeheartedly: "Lifelites tech is everything in my role, as soon as we bring a piece of technology out the children are interested and their eyes light up... we live in an era where technology is everything, so Lifelites work is essential."
