Game On: Give the Gift of Fun for Children Facing Serious Sickness

Like a lot of teenagers, Artie loves to play video games. “I love gaming just because it takes your mind off everything in the world that’s annoying and just lets you go into a whole different world and space,” says the 16-year-old.  

Unlike most teenagers, Artie has faced health challenges that require substantial hospitalizations. He talked to us about his love of gaming from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, where he has been treated since being diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta, a rare condition also known as brittle bone disease. “I’ve broken a lot of things. I had about six surgeries here, and it really helps just to play games to get through it.” 

Every effort we have made since we started in 1982 has been to find new and innovative ways to collaborate with medical teams and childcare specialists on ways to help children heal.  Comments like Artie’s reaffirms our commitment to expanding our work to provide programs to even more hospitalized children across our network of over 800 hospital partners. 

Every day, we help deliver happiness to kids facing long hospitalizations and often painful treatments and recovery periods.  

Every 60 seconds, a child like Artie is in need of medical care. By the time you finish reading this, another family will receive news that their child has a serious injury or illness.  

Every child deserves the very best care, with a side of gaming, play, and other fun experiences to make their visits less stressful and more enjoyable. 

Every dollar of your tax-deductible donation will help entertain, distract, and inspire even more hospitalized kids in 2020.  

With your generous donations, we can put more Starlight Nintendo Gaming stations in the hands of kids like Artie so that they can enjoy playing Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart 8, and Super Mario Maker 2 and more.  

Since launching our partnership with Nintendo in 1992, we have delivered more than 7,200 Starlight Gaming stations to hundreds of hospitals across North America. With the recent launch of the new Starlight Nintendo Switch, with your support we can deliver these stations to even more hospitals.