More Than Just Fun and Games!
Thanks to generous donations from Emergency Department physicians and your MMMC Foundation, the Hale East Department recently received a Starlight Fun Center ® for its pediatric patients. The mobile entertainment unit is powered by Nintendo's Wii U and features platforms like Netflix and Hulu. Starlight Fun Centers provide entertainment, distraction, and a sense of normalcy for hospitalized kids by offering online access to family-friendly video games and movies. It is often a source of smiles and laughter for kids and families facing difficult medical challenges. Fun Centers also roll anywhere indoors and are easily integrated into physical therapy and other treatments.
Kaiser Pediatrician Dr. Chad Atkins said, "All of the children's hospitals that I have worked in have had versions of the Starlight Fun Center. I have cared for many children who have been stuck in the hospital for days or weeks and having a source of distraction is very therapeutic. Last year, we had a teenager in the hospital who was suffering from a terminal illness. This could have made a big difference in his last days. When he left the hospital, his "Make a Wish" was just to get a laptop so he would have something to do in bed at home."
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Photo Caption: Hale East nurses with E.R. physician Dr. Vijak Ayasanonda, Kaiser Pediatrician Dr. Chad Atkins, and Foundation Executive Director, Lisa Varde.