Major League Baseball and the Tampa Bay Rays Deliver “Fun Center” for Pediatric Patients During World Series
As part of Baseball's continuing efforts to affect the lives of children in a positive and meaningful way, Major League Baseball and the American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays teamed up with the Starlight Children's Foundation to donate a Fun Center to All Children's Hospital.
The Fun Center is a mobile entertainment unit containing a Nintendo Wii gaming system, Sharp AQUOS liquid flat screen monitor and DVD Player. The four-foot tall Fun Center, designed for use by young patients even if they are confined to bed, features the logos of both Major League Baseball and the Tampa Bay Rays. The Fun Center was officially delivered by Raymond, the mascot of the Tampa Bay Rays, who eagerly joined young patients in trying their hand at - what else - Wii Baseball!
Fun Centers have become a focal point of Starlight's efforts to combat the isolation and fear experienced by children in hospitals. Caregivers report that Fun Centers divert children during treatment sessions, are a great distraction from hospital stress, may result in a reduced need for pain medication and are a bright spot in the long hours of a pediatric patient's day.
The Starlight Children's Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with chronic and life-threatening medical conditions. The Foundation uses a combination of "high-tech" and "high-touch" programs designed to distract children from their pain and help them better understand and manage their illnesses.
