Special birthday wishes to Sam and Matt
Friday, November 29th, 2024
There’s news of two memorable birthdays to bring you, both featuring individuals who’ve had a huge impact on the charity over the years.
Sam
Firstly, a very happy (slightly) belated happy birthday to Sam. He has motor neurone disease (MND) and we’ve been supporting his gaming for many years, so it was fantastic to be invited to his 43rd birthday party recently and meet with over 150 of his friends and family. We also had the opportunity to demonstrate some of the technology that’s helped him over the years.
While Sam’s mobility and speech are now limited, his love for video games has remained a constant source of joy and connection. Our specialist assessment team have worked with him to introduce customised eye gaze technology that allows him to communicate and immerse himself in the games he loves.
Sam’s birthday party also highlighted the important work of Stand Against MND, his charity dedicated to funding research for a cure for MND. Friends, family, and supporters gathered to honour the impact of the charity, and Sam delivered an inspiring speech using his eye gaze device.
Our team brought a range of accessible gaming setups and technology to the party. This included some of the same technology Sam uses, giving everyone a chance to experience first-hand how he plays and communicates.
One of the most memorable moments of the day was seeing guests connect with Sam through his love of video games. Whether they were racing cars in Forza Motorsport 7 using eye gaze controls or creating messages with an eye-tracking communication system, the event offered a shared experience to appreciate how Sam and many others use assistive technologies.
As we celebrated Sam’s birthday, we also celebrated the resilience, creativity, and determination that define his journey. He’s turned his love of gaming into a source of joy and advocacy that, with the help of assistive technology, has brought people together.
A huge thank you to Sam and his family for their warm welcome and the invitation, we wouldn’t have missed it for the world!
Matt Hampson
29 November is the 40th birthday of our Patron, Matt Hampson. Matt, who was paralysed from the neck down during an England Under 21 rugby training session in 2005, established the Matt Hampson Foundation to support and inspire other young people with similar injuries and disabilities, providing them with a support network to share knowledge and experiences. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s 2021 New Year’s Honours.
Matt was one of our earliest supporters and a beneficiary as well as an inspiration behind our Stargaze project, which involves the assessment and support of people in intensive care due to a traumatic injury or illness which results in them having very urgent, severe and complex physical challenges.
This year he plans to extend his remarkable the Foundation’s Get Busy Living Centre, opened in Leicestershire in 2018, to support even more beneficiaries. The Centre provides physical and emotional support for young people on a journey following serious injury towards a return to education, employment or sport, or in adjusting to their new life. You can donate here.