Fitzgibbon Receives Gaming System for Patients

February 22, 2019

Children who are admitted to Fitzgibbon Hospital will have a new way to pass the hours due to the donation of a new portable gaming system. The GO Kart (Gamer’s Outreach Kart) is a portable, medical-grade video game kiosk that enables hospital staff to easily provide bedside recreation to children who are unable to leave their rooms in hospitals.

Fitzgibbon Hospital is the only hospital in Missouri and one of only two in the Midwest to receive a GO Kart from Gamer’s Outreach, a charity organization that provides recreation to children in hospitals through the power of video games and the gaming community.

“This gift to our hospital will hopefully help ease the fear and anxieties of our young patients and even bring some smiles and happiness as they undergo treatment for whatever health condition that requires them to be in our hospital,” said Darin Haug, D.O., President and CEO of Fitzgibbon Hospital.  “It is really a blessing to see an organization like Gamer’s Outreach making a difference in the lives of children, and we are so fortunate that they included Fitzgibbon Hospital in their list of facilities to receive this gift.”

The GO Kart comes with an X-Box ONE and is pre-loaded with family friendly games such as Minecraft, Madden NFL, FIFA 18, NBA Live 18, Rocket League, I Hope, Disney Pixar’s Rush, Disneyland, Slime Rancher, Zoo Tycoon and NHL 18. It is on an electric cart that is fully adjustable for the height and need of the child.  It also includes a large, flat-screened monitor with high-resolution to make the experience even better.

Gamer’s Outreach came to be out of a group of high school “gamers” who wanted to give back. They hosted tournaments and, as the tournaments grew, they began donating profits to charity.

In 2009, the group approached Mott Children’s Hospital in their hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan, with the intention to deliver as many video games as possible to kids within their facility. They realized soon after that their work could impact children in hospitals nationwide.

The first cart was frequently used by Mott’s staff, and the teens were able to witness first-hand the impact it made in the lives of the children it served. Kids who were unable to socialize or participate in therapy now had easy access to recreation. The carts made an incredible difference.

To learn more about the Gamer’s Outreach organization, visit www.gamersoutreach.org.  There are currently 22 facilities on the waiting list to receive a GO Kart from Florida to California, including Ronald McDonald Houses, Cancer Centers and Rehab Hospitals.