2024
Bradley (September 2024)
Bradley is 6 years old. He has complex health conditions: Cerebral Palsy, epilepsy, factor IX deficiency and dystonia.
Bradley is a very loving and caring child who enjoys swimming and would like to go on the stage when he is older. And he has said that he would like to help other children who have similar conditions. He is an intelligent boy and becomes frustrated when using paper-based communication aids.
Trials have taken place on a communication device for two months and his mother has said how amazing it was for him to be able to communicate. He was able to build sentences and communicate his wants and needs at home, at school and in his community. It increased his confidence and gave him the independence and control he really longs for.
The loaned piece of equipment was particularly useful when he had a surgical procedure as it gave him the confidence to communicate in a different environment. His Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) has recommended that, with the correct communication aid, his progress will continue. This will then have the potential to enhance his wellbeing, social interaction and ability to influence what is happening around him.
The recommended equipment is an iPad mini with TouchChat software and several others apps and accessories. It was felt that this package would best meet his current and foreseeable future needs. His family wants him to have the best chance in life but they simply cannot afford this equipment themselves.
Bradley was awarded a grant towards the cost of this system and The Sequal Trust funded the remainder.
Aneesha (September 2024)
Aneesha is 25 years old. She suffers from Wilson’s Disease, a rare genetic condition, which causes too much copper to accumulate in the body’s organs. This affects Aneesha’s speech, vision, dexterity, swallowing and her mental health.
She lives with her parents and has the full support of them and her brother and sister. This close family unit is very important to her as she is dependent on them. Her sister tells us that she is a caring, sensitive and a happy young lady who loves listening to audiobooks, going for walks and keeping in touch with family members.
Aneesha’s Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) reports that she has been trialled on an iPad with the Predictable software which made a huge difference to her and, in effect, gave her a voice. She could communicate with her family and society, which increased her independence, self-esteem and confidence.
Having a device of her own would greatly improve her quality of life and means she can communicate with a much broader range of people. Her family are unable to afford this device themselves.
Aneesha was awarded a grant to fund the iPad with Predictable software and a rugged case.
Austin (September 2024)
Austin is 8 years old. He has Downs Syndrome and also suffers with autism, deafness and a visual impairment, all of which make communication extremely difficult.
His mother tells us that he is a happy, caring child who loves Lego duplo, cars, trains and anything with wheels.
Austin attends a school which specialises in helping children with severe learning difficulties reach their full potential. The school Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) has trialled Austin on an iPad with the Proloquo2Go app and reported that this made a huge difference to him. She believes that this device would allow him the opportunity to develop his communication skills and provide him with the means to express himself, improving confidence and independence over time.
Austin’s family have managed to pay for the iPad themselves but they needed help to fund the communication app.
Austin was awarded a grant to fund the Prologue 2 Go app.
Ruchama (September 2024)
Ruchama is 7 years old. She was born with unbalanced chromosome translocation (a rare genetic disorder) which has caused severe global developmental delay. She also suffers with dystonia, epilepsy and has a heart condition.
Her mother tells us that she has a wonderful sense of humour and is very caring. She enjoys sensory play, and she loves music and dancing.
Ruchama attends a special school and works closely with a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) who tells us that Ruchama can only articulate a few words inconsistently. She currently has the use of a school iPad but she cannot take this home with her, which effectively means she is leaving her voice in school each day. Without the use of a communication device she can become distressed as others do not understand what she wants.
The SLT feels that having a device of her own would give Ruchama continuity between school and home and would allow her the opportunity to develop her communicational skills and provide her with the means to express herself, improving her confidence and independence over time.
Ruchama was awarded a grant to fund an iPad with the TD Snap Communication app.
Daniel (May 2024)
Daniel is 41 years old and was a Police Officer in the Metropolitan Police force.
During the pandemic he was working on the front line emergency services and, in 2021, he contracted covid and suffered a stroke. Following intensive and extensive treatment in hospital, he woke from an induced coma to discover he was paralysed on the left side of his body. In addition to his mobility challenges, the stroke left him with other brain damage resulting in visual impairment, neurological seizures and cognitive problems.
Currently Daniel only has access to an old unreliable iPad which doesn’t have a large enough screen to meet his visual requirements. He desperately needs a new large screen laptop to help with this and also a trackball mouse for easier navigation due to his reduced hand mobility.
Daniel lives at home with his wife and she describes him as a loving, caring, sensitive husband. She said he tries very hard to remain upbeat but the stroke has, understandably, caused some long-term depression and he becomes frustrated at not being able to communicate effectively. She is hopeful that having a much more user friendly laptop and mouse will open up his social world again and, more importantly, help with his mental health problems and general well-being.
Daniel was awarded a grant to fund the laptop and trackball mouse.
Stacey (May 2024)
Stacey is 48 years old. She suffered a brain injury in 2002 and is non-verbal.
She lives with her mother who is her only carer. Her mother told us that Stacey has a good sense of humour, is sensitive and loving but is anxious with strangers. She enjoys watching films and listening to music and loves to go shopping.
Stacey had a Lightwriter communication aid for many years but this is no longer working and is beyond repair. This is very hard on her as she has become used to being able to communicate when she is out and about and, in some ways, it is harder for her now, than it was before she had her first device.
Without this aid she can still make her basic needs known, but has lost her ability to express more complex ideas. Using her device, she was able to communicate with people she doesn’t know and it allowed her to participate in the community, e.g. ordering in a coffee shop or when seeing medical professionals. A replacement communication aid would literally give her back her independence and the ability to socially interact. Her condition is unlikely to improve and will likely deteriorate over time due to ageing.
Stacey had been using a Lightwriter SL40. Her Speech and Language Therapist has now recommended the new Lightwriter SL50.
Stacey was awarded a grant towards the cost of the Lightwriter. The Sequal Trust will seek help from other charities to fund the remainder of the cost.