'VR took away my son's fear of cancer treatment'

Becky said the headset had "massively helped" for Coby

The mother of a young boy undergoing cancer treatment has said the use of distraction therapy has helped to "take his fear away".

Six-year-old Coby, from Oldham, was diagnosed with a rare form of kidney cancer in June.

Since then, the school boy has been wearing a virtual reality (VR) headset while having radiotherapy at The Christie in Manchester.

His mother Becky said it had "made the trips here easy", adding: "He's never not wanted to come here for his treatment."

She said that at the "start of the journey, I never wanted Coby to feel fear or be scared or in pain if it was avoidable".

"It has massively helped for Coby," she added.

"It took the fear, if there was any fear, but any fear has been taken away."

The Christie was the first hospital in the country to start using VR in 2024 as a distraction therapy for children having radiotherapy.

Coby enjoys being transported to the ocean via the VR headset

It is part of a two-year project to see if using VR can reduce anxiety related to cancer treatment.

Patients can also use the headset during clinical procedures including injections, blood tests and dressing changes.

The children are transported to alternative universes including under the sea and when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

"I watch space because I like it and I feel very comfy," says Coby.

"So I guess I feel very excellent and good."

Six-year-old Coby was diagnosed with cancer four months ago

Penelope Hart-Spencer, who is a health play specialist at The Christie, said the headset gave patients a different focus.

"Instead of staring at the machinery, which is quite large compared to the children, they can actually be transported to a different environment," she said.

"So with Coby, he loves going to space every day.

"Other children love going swimming under the ocean.

"It just gives them a different focus during the treatment, in what could otherwise be quite clinical, quite scary or daunting."

It is hoped the scheme could be rolled out across other cancer hospitals in the north west of England following the trial.