Gaming helps kids at Chicago children's hospital in treatment

CHICAGO - A Twitch streamer who spent much of her childhood in hospitals helped bring a new gaming station to Lurie Children’s Hospital on Tuesday, giving patients a way to play during treatment and recovery inside the building.

The system was donated through Starlight Children’s Foundation as part of a fundraising effort led by Quiltoni, according to event materials.

What we know:

Hospital staff say the program meets a need inside the hospital, where patients can spend long stretches of time in care and away from normal routines.

"My main job is to help patients and families cope with the health care experience, but I use technology and gaming to normalize the environment as much as possible," said Shane Rafferty, a patient technology support specialist at Lurie Children’s.

A personal reason behind the donation

Quiltoni said the project is tied to her own experience growing up in hospitals.

"When I saw that, I went, ‘Hey, I wish I had that when I was a kid in the hospital,’" she said.

She said doctors did not diagnose her condition until she was 2 years old.

"My body is missing the enzyme to digest wheat, milk, sugar," she said. "Because of that, I didn’t grow, I didn’t nurture, and I was in the hospital for most of my childhood life."

That connection is what brought her to Starlight Children’s Foundation, which partners with hospitals to provide programs for pediatric patients, according to event materials.

How it works inside the hospital

Rafferty said the gaming systems are designed to be easy to use and accessible for patients across the hospital.

"Nurses just wheel them into kids’ rooms. They plug them in. There’s tons of Nintendo games on there," he said.

The hospital has about 30 gaming carts placed across inpatient units and in the emergency department, according to Rafferty.

He said the impact often shows up in simple moments between patients and their families.

"It really helps kids forget they’re in the hospital," Rafferty said. "They’re just playing games with their mom, dad, brother and sister."

What patients experience

During the event, children gathered around the gaming station, taking turns and learning how to play.

"Who is Peach? I am," Quiltoni said as she guided a child through the controls. "You have to hit the A button… there you go."

Moments like that are part of what the program is meant to create, according to Quiltoni.

"When you can see the happiness on the child’s face in a hospital setting, it’s everything," she said. "And it’s why we do what we do."

What's next:

Hospital staff said the gaming carts are used daily and moved across units based on patient need, allowing more children to access them throughout their stay.