“You meet people from all around the world”
Thursday, February 20th, 2025
Meet Lucy, one of the hundreds of wonderful gamers who’ll be joining in the GameBlast action on 21-23 February to help us bring the magic of gaming into the lives of disabled people around the world.
“I’ve decided to take part in GameBlast because the amount of support that I’ve got from SpecialEffect,” she said. “Any money that I can raise to help them support someone else is really important to me.”
We’ve had the privilege of helping Lucy with her gaming for many years now, advising on and loaning accessible gaming equipment and setups that are tailored to her specific abilities and body position. She has congenital muscular dystrophy, and as she’s got older we’ve worked together to keep finding the best ways for her to press buttons and move joysticks.
“SpecialEffect came over and assessed my range of motion, what parts of my body I can and can’t move. And they worked out a setup where all my switches are placed in specific areas that I can move. So I’ve got two underneath one of my hands, two more in the palm of that hand, and one next to my other hand, where I can also use a joystick.”
“Depending on what I’m playing, I use my feet to control a second joystick or up to three extra switches.”
“It’s really elevated my mood and given me something to really get into,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed a range of games like Mario Kart, Disney Dreamlight Valley, and Dead By Daylight, and recently I’ve been into Alice Madness Returns. And Rocket League as well of course!”
Our lifelong support hasn’t just helped Lucy to play games, it’s provided an avenue of social inclusion:
“I love the community element of games,” she said. “They give you that ability to make friends, especially for people like myself who maybe don’t get the chance to go out and socialise too often. You meet people from all walks of life, all around the world, and it just opens up your opportunities to create new relationships.”
“I’d like to thank to thank SpecialEffect for the help that they’ve given me – and continue to give me – because it’s not just about being able to game. It’s also about being able to be part of something which gives me a sense of purpose, which is sometimes quite hard to find when your level of disability is as high as mine.”
Keeping a gaming setup just right over time is a commitment, especially for people with complex disabilities, but we’re more than happy to take on the challenge. And the specialist expertise, tenacity and resources that this requires only exists because of your wonderful fundraising, so thank you again for the bottom of our hearts for your support, it’s truly appreciated!
Please consider a monthly donation to support our work. Just £15 a month will help us provide consistent, lifelong support to those who need it most, allow us to plan ahead, respond quickly, and reach even more people in need.