College students aim to bring joy of gaming to hospital

By ANNA SMITH Local Journalism Initiative on February 9, 2024.

asmith@medicinehatnews.com

Looking to bring some joy to Medicine Hat Regional Hospital young patients, students at Medicine Hat College are encouraging people to put on their pyjamas for a purpose.

Sport and event marketing and management (SEMM) students originally heard of the organization Gamers Outreach in their textbook as part of their e-sports class, said second-year student Madison Thompson.

“We’re trying to create a positive stigma around gaming,” said Thompson. “And this was just an opportunity for us to put our work in the classroom into the community.”

While Thompson mentioned offhand that there can be some negative stereotypes or ideas surrounding video games or their enthusiasts, she says there are many groups or societies that bring positive things for the image of the hobby, and Gamers Outreach caught their attention.

“We decided to dig deeper into it, and do some more research,” Thompson said. “And that’s when we saw that they’re a charity that is trying to bring gaming into hospitals. And we thought that’s something we would want to jump on board with.”

The goal for the fundraiser, said student Wyatt Smith, is to raise $5,000 in order to purchase an XBox for the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital’s pediatric unit, as well as multiple controllers, a cart for portability and sanitization, and a small HD TV for game display.

“We’re hoping to bring joy through gaming,” said SEMM instructor Kristina Hyde. “Gaming provides cognitive stimulation, socialization, a source of entertainment and, of course, distraction. Basically our thoughts around it were that, if for even 10 minutes, a child’s pain fades into laughter through gaming, then our efforts are a game changer for those that need it the most.

“So we’re just trying to bring joy to the children, basically through gaming because they’re stuck in the hospital, which can be scary and isolating for them.”

The fundraiser in question asks for only $5 from participants, who are then encouraged to wear their pyjamas to work or school in order to show support for the cause and for the young patients.

“We really want to challenge anyone who wants to support our cause around the city of Medicine Hat and their surrounding areas. So including Cypress County and people who benefit from the resources that our Health Foundation has in the City of Medicine Hat,” said Madison.

Gamers Outreach has had experience creating packages like this before, said Hyde, and will be providing the needed equipment once the funds are raised. One of the most important pieces is the provided cart, which will allow the console to be moved alongside its associated TV from room to room, instead of requiring patients, who could potentially be extremely ill, to move to a set location.

This mobile approach should allow for the pieces to be properly sanitized between uses, a must for any shared hospital resources.

“We’re hoping to have around 1,000 people on Feb. 16, donate $5 and wear their pyjamas to work to school, and just generally show support for the cause that we are trying to do,” said Thompson.

Anyone who’s interested in making a donation, or seeing how else they can become involved with the fundraiser, is encouraged to contact Hyde at khyde@mhc.ab.ca.

“Witnessing the students’ enthusiasm and empathy in action is truly inspiring, and I commend each student for contributing to this meaningful cause,” says Hyde. “Together, we will make a difference in the lives of hospitalized children through the joy of gaming, showcasing the power of unity and compassion within our community.”

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