VR set lets Mikey be a normal teen for a few hours

BOY ENJOYS TASTE OF FREEDOM

- BY AMANDA STOCKS

Swimming with dolphins, climbing trees with gorillas in the rainforest and scoring the winning goal in a football match are among the things 13-year-old Mikey Strachan loves to do.

The teenager, who has a condition so rare that no doctor has been able to diagnose it, spends his days exploring - thanks to the power of virtual reality.

His medical needs are so complex that Mikey must stay connected to a ventilator for all but a few hours a day. He is unable to fly abroad, play out with friends or go to school, but his world has now been transformed after he was introduced to Meta Quest 3 VR technology by the charity Lifelites.

His mum, Chevonne Newlands, 43, from Fareham, Hants, said: "When he's on the VR he's a normal teenager, it's opened up his world and for a while he can forget about his medical issues. It's been life-changing."

Two weeks ago we launched our Mirror Christmas appeal to Unwrap the Magic of Christmas for thousands of young people like Mikey.

The campaign aims to raise vital funds for them to experience the wonder of life-changing technology.

Lifelites currently reaches 15,000 children with life-limiting conditions.

The charity provides seriously ill and disabled children the chance to play, create and communicate, using assistive and sensory technology.