Little Journey’s story

Chris knew that fear of the unknown often made hospital visits even harder, especially for young patients. Alongside designer Sophie Copley, he began developing a tool that would make the hospital experience less frightening and more familiar. 

The result is Little Journey. A mobile app offering interactive, age-tailored content to guide children and their parents through each step of their healthcare journey. From virtual hospital tours and animations to breathing exercises and distraction games, the app supports patients before, during and after treatment. 

Early feedback was promising. But turning a good idea into a clinically validated, scalable product required the right support. So, they turned to Nexus, the University of Leeds’ innovation hub. 

Through Nexus, the team were able to connect with academic experts, NHS collaborators and healthcare workers who helped to refine the app, access grant funding, and build the evidence needed for scale. 

With support from Nexus and the Centre for HealthTech Innovation, Little Journey evaluated its impact in over 50 NHS trusts and international sites. The results: anxiety reduced by 30% for high-risk children, same-day cancellations down 42%, and recovery times improved by 30%. 

Health economic evaluations showed the app delivered strong returns, saving £3.50 for every £1 invested by hospitals, and £6 per £1 across wider society. 

Thanks to this evidence, and help from Nexus with Innovate UK applications, the team has raised over £1.5 million in funding and expanded across the UK, Europe and the US. 

Little Journey now supports procedures beyond surgery, including endoscopy, phlebotomy, COVID-19 testing and clinical trials. The app has been used over 35,000 times, with a 4.7-star rating from families and clinicians alike. 

If you think you could benefit from being part of the Nexus community, get in touch today.