Funding to focus on severely disabled Islanders

Tuesday 15 July 2014

More Islanders who are trapped in their own bodies after illness or an accident will now be able to use cutting-edge technology to communicate, thanks to funding from a Channel Islands' charitable foundation.

The Zannah Trust’s Eye-Gaze Project has so far helped change the lives of more than 20 people over the last four years who can now communicate with their eyes.

A donation of £10,000 from the Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands will pay for more people to get the life-changing treatment.

Dr Mick Donegan is a leading expert in gaze-controlled technology and set up the UK charity SpecialEffect. He’s in the Island this week to teach others how to operate the specially adapted computer equipment.

His specialist treatment and technology helped Zannah Pemberton before she died aged 23, two-and-a-half years after sustaining head injuries in a roller-blading accident.

The Zannah trust was set up by her parents in 2009 to help others.

Her father Chris Pemberton said: “Dr Donegan is making a very special contribution to our community by helping those who are affected by the effects of stroke, motor neurone disease, cerebral palsy, or brain injury to regain a degree of independence. It means so much to us to be able to keep Zannah’s memory alive by bringing world-class expertise to those who are trapped in their bodies, unable to communicate or have basic independence.”

Dr Donegan works in partnership with Health professionals, assessing Islanders at Mont a l’Abbé School, Jersey Cheshire Home and the General Hospital, as well as in their own homes.

Lloyds Bank Foundation’s Executive Director John Hutchins said: “We were very pleased to have assisted this charity which does so much for those with very significant disabilities, the cutting edge technology used makes so much difference to their quality of life.”