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The annual Child’s Play Charity auction/dinner is coming up on November 22nd in Seattle and I’d love to see you there! Child’s Play has evolved so much in the last 21 years and we’re doing some really amazing work these days. One of my favorite things is game developers working with hospital staff and patients to develop therapeutic games. A great example of this is an experience called Gurney Journey and I’ve linked a video of it below.
The experience of leaving your hospital room and getting wheeled through the halls to the operating room can be very scary. Gurney Journey is an AR app that tries to fix this. Kids wear a headset and using passthrough technology can see their normal hospital room but the door out of their room becomes a magic portal and when they go through it they find themselves in a magical land with stars above them.
I’ve learned from experts that kids tend to wake up from anesthesia in the same sort of mood they fell asleep in. So if kids are scared/anxious/worried going into an operation that’s how they come out of the procedure feeling. Apps like Gurney Journey allow kids to relax and fall asleep while engaged in a game or a peaceful experience. I’ve been told this greatly improves their moods when waking up which can actually help with recovery.
During the Child’s Play charity dinner and auction you’ll get the chance to hear from the people working in this field and talk with them about their projects. It’s an incredible opportunity to really see what your donations are doing and meet the people on the cutting edge of therapeutic gaming. I hope you’ll join me November 22nd to support Child’s Play and help us continue this important work! I recommend taking advantage of the special deals the Sheraton Grand Seattle is offering and staying downtown that night. I did this last year and will be doing it again this year. You can find all the details and get your tickets right here.
-Gabe Out