Jamie

I think we can all agree, speaking is a part of everyday life. It would be almost impossible to go a day without needing to talk to people, whether it be to a family member, friends or whilst out shopping. Just imagine what life would be like if you weren’t able to speak…

Jamie has Cerebral Palsy which severely restricts his mobility as well as his ability to speak. Until Everyone Can met Jamie, his only way of talking was through his partner Emma or a family member who translated for him.

Jamie and Emma first met our team at an event in Peterborough, they had no idea about the specialised technology before this, they were so impressed by the software that allowed Jamie to select images to construct sentences, speaking, for the first time through the software’s human sounding voice. Jamie navigates this software using a joystick as a mouse.

As the communication barrier has been removed, Jamie can put his opinion across freely in conversation. Emma can now concentrate on what she wants to say, rather than what Jamie might want to say. By using Assistive Technology, he can make himself fully understood by anyone. At school Jamie was unable to develop his literacy skills. He has since then using the software learnt how to read and write, alongside his young children.

Since his initial assessment at the event, Jamie has been using our free helpline and our remote support service for additional advice and training, so he can tailor the equipment to his precise needs. His partner, Emma said, “This has changed his life. Everyone Can have made it easier to understand the Grid and for Jamie to use it.”

Another breakthrough…

Jamie’s confidence grew very quickly using his equipment and within a month his was sending texts with his computer to keep the team updated! Considering that previously Jamie couldn’t construct a written word or sentence, texting is yet another massive breakthrough and means he can now easily keen in contact with others outside his home.

Jamie said, “Without you, I wouldn’t be using this software. I am writing this on my computer on my own! Thank you again for your help.”