Dan and Bryan

For over 25 years, Lifelites has been harnessing the power of technology to empower children and young people with life-limiting conditions. Behind the scenes, people like Trainer Dan and Tech Support Bryan play a vital role in ensuring that this technology changes lives. They ensure that it reaches hospices, works effectively, and is used to its full potential. Their journeys into the world of children’s palliative care and assistive tech show how passion, expertise, and innovation combine to make a real difference for families.

Dan’s Journey: From Care Assistant to Lifelites Trainer

Early career and a passion for care

At college, I completed a B Tech in Public Services with the aim of joining one of the uniformed services, like the Police or Fire Service. I originally wanted to become a paramedic, but when they weren’t hiring, I took a job in a supermarket while deciding on my next step.

I later enrolled at university to train as a nurse, but before my final year, my mum and nan both became unwell. I left the course to care for them and was unable to resume without restarting all three years. During that time, I joined my family’s business – a children’s nursery – and found my passion. I spent eight years there, studying childhood development and eventually becoming the nursery manager.

Discovering children’s palliative care

From there, I moved to East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice (EACH) – The Treehouse in Ipswich – as a care assistant in 2012. Later, I became a Play & Activities Assistant in the wellbeing services team. I helped plan activities for children during respite stays and supported families during end-of-life care.

We organised sibling support days, music festivals and Christmas parties with Santa’s Grotto. All these were incredibly rewarding experiences. During that time, I first saw the Lifelites technology being used in the hospice. Back then, it was mostly gaming consoles and desktop PCs, but they had a huge impact on the children.

Becoming a Lifelites Champion

As a gamer, I was always confident using the equipment and often helped colleagues who were less familiar with it. I realised how important ongoing training is. Without it, the tech isn’t used to its full potential and children miss out.

When EACH received a new Lifelites tech package, I joined the training and became one of the staff who encouraged others to use it. Later, I attended the annual staff training conference in Birmingham and became the Lifelites Champion (Hospice Liaison), which deepened my connection to the charity.

Joining Lifelites as a Trainer

In 2019, I saw an email saying that Lifelites was recruiting a Trainer. I applied immediately, knowing from my own experience how transformative the technology was. Even without formal training experience, I was thrilled to be offered the role.

A few months later, I was travelling across the UK, meeting hospice partners, consulting on new technology packages and delivering hands-on training. My background in children’s palliative care gave me valuable insight into how tech can be used every day to support children and families.

Adapting to challenges and new technology

The Covid pandemic brought new challenges, but it also encouraged staff to become more confident with technology through online training. This shift helped remove fear and reluctance to use tech in hospices.

Today, much of our focus is on portable assistive technology – taking the tech to the children, not the other way around. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) tools, like the Meta Quest 3, allow children to experience skydiving, concerts, or magical worlds they could never visit in person.

It’s incredible to see how technology helps children express themselves, take part in activities, and connect with others. With advances in AI and adaptive devices, the possibilities are endless. I’m excited to see what comes next!

Bryan’s Story: Fourteen Years of Technical Support and Innovation

From Freemasons’ Hall to Lifelites

I was Head of IT at Freemasons’ Hall when Lifelites’ then-CEO, Simone Enefer-Doy, contacted me for help with their office systems. After providing some technical support, Simone asked if I could spare time to advise on their services.

That advisory role turned into a long-term relationship. When Lifelites tendered for a new IT service provider, I half-jokingly offered to do it better and cheaper. They took me up on it! I’ve now been working with Lifelites since February 2011.

Visiting children’s hospices across the UK

At that time, there were around 40 hospices, and I visited them all in my first year – driving about 50,000 miles. Some hospices were making full use of the technology, while others didn’t know much about Lifelites. Having a regular point of contact helped raise awareness, improve communication, and ensure better tech use.

Before joining Lifelites, I’d worked as an engineer and project manager, always focused on improving efficiency and saving costs. But once I started visiting children’s hospices, I quickly became passionate about the cause and the difference our work makes.

Improving accessibility and reducing costs

One of the first things I did was review the technology we supplied. I saw opportunities to make it more accessible and affordable by adapting existing tools rather than building new ones.

For example, we assembled our first Eyegaze system using off-the-shelf components for a fraction of the cost, making it more widely available. As technology evolved, we worked with assistive tech developers to make equipment more portable and flexible, like the Magic Carpet. Originally fixed to the ceiling, we collaborated with Sensory Guru to create a wheeled version that could be moved anywhere. It is now the standard model used nationwide.

Building relationships and solving problems

Over the years, I’ve built strong relationships with hospice IT and maintenance teams. This saves on time and resources as I can help them troubleshoot remotely before making visits.

I’ll never forget my early lesson: after driving five hours to fix a “broken” TV, I discovered it had simply been turned off! Since then, my first question on any call is always, “Have you checked the switch?”

Seeing the impact first-hand

Of all the assistive technologies we provide, Eyegaze remains the most transformative. I’ll never forget a teenager in Scotland who hadn’t spoken in two years. Within 15 minutes of using Eyegaze, he was chatting with friends on Facebook. Moments like that are what make this work so rewarding.

The technology has advanced rapidly, but the joy of seeing children and families empowered by it never fades. And yes – the tea and cake at the hospices are always a bonus!

The Power of Training, Tech, and Teamwork

Both Dan and Bryan embody what makes Lifelites so special. It’s a combination of technical skill, compassion, and a shared mission to bring joy and connection through technology.

From providing training and support to maintaining and evolving assistive equipment, their work ensures that children with life-limiting conditions can play, communicate, and experience the world in extraordinary ways.