Charles Hurst Toyota fund additional robot for Children’s Cancer Unit Charity’s Robotics Programme

Charles Hurst Toyota fund additional robot for Children’s Cancer Unit Charity’s Robotics Programme

Local NI children who need support during cancer treatment will benefit from an additional robot to The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity, funded by a donation from local automotive dealership Charles Hurst Toyota.

The funding has covered the cost of an additional robot to the department, which sits in a classroom whilst it is controlled from home by young people receiving cancer treatment who are too unwell to attend school.

The programme currently benefits around 15 young people at The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity, with plans to fund a fleet of robots which will help as many children as possible get back to normal school life.

Charles Hurst Toyota received £1,800 funding from Toyota’s programme “Toyota Fund for a Better Tomorrow” and added £2,000 from Charles Hurst to help The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity add a new robotics unit to their innovative Robotics Programme, established in 2019, which supports young patients receiving cancer treatment with their educational and social needs.

Lucy Roberts, (9 years), from Newtownbutler, Co. Fermanagh is one child who currently uses a robot from the Specialist Robotics Programme.

Lucy visited the Charles Hurst Toyota Showroom with her parents to show the team how the robot she uses work and the benefits it has had on her education and interactions with her school friends and teacher.

The robot Lucy has been using sits in her classroom at Newtownbutler Primary School and is controlled by Lucy from home, allowing her to interact with her classmates and teacher, helping to keep her connected to school life whilst she can’t physically attend.

Lucy’s mother Caroline Roberts, described the impact of the robot:

“Lucy’s robot has been a lifeline to us while she takes time out from school to receive her treatment. She loves school and loves to spend time with her friends, so being able to interact with her class via the robot has allowed her to be part of the school community again.

“We’re so pleased Newtownbutler Primary School welcomed this with open arms, as it has made a huge difference to Lucy during this really difficult time.”

Jacqueline Wilkinson, Executive Assistant at The Children's Cancer Unit Charity added:

“The CCUC robotics is a really tangible way for the Children’s Cancer Unit Charity to support children living with cancer here in Northern Ireland. From working closely with families, we understand the impact long-term treatment can have on the emotional and social wellbeing of these children, especially when they have to miss out on long periods of school.

“That’s why we launched this important initiative, to help get children back in the classroom so they can see their friends again and continue to be part of their normal everyday routine. We are really grateful for the support of Charles Hurst Toyota, as this funding will mean more kids will be able to access this vital tool and enhance their road to recovery.”

Luke McCready, Franchise Manager at Charles Hurst Toyota said:

“It has been very special for us to see how wonderful this robotics unit has been for Lucy. When we heard about The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity’s Robotics programme, we knew we wanted to try and help get another robot available for CCUC to use. We were delighted to have received funding from the Toyota Fund for a Better Tomorrow to secure it, as well as the additional funding from ourselves at Charles Hurst. It is clear to see the benefits these robots will have on children’s lives and with their educational and social needs. We are very proud to help in any way that we can.”

The Toyota Fund for a Better Tomorrow is a programme of small grants designed to help local charities, schools and community projects. Since its conception they have supported over 480 projects.