Friend of BBCH Uses GameStop Earnings to Give Back
One Extra Life community member and lucky beneficiary of the GameStop trading frenzy is giving back to The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital (BBCH) in a big way.
In the aftermath of the GameStop stock surge that gave retail traders a huge payday, some used their gains to support GameStop and their local children’s hospital. Our friend Mick did just that: “When I saw the idea of using GameStop money to go back to GameStop to buy games to donate, it was like the perfect combo.” Mick kindly reached out to ask how to best help BBCH, and then donated 41 video games- every single game on our wish list!
Mick was first introduced to BBCH through local Extra Life events. Extra Life is a fundraiser built around playing games; Extra Lifers raise funds for their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital (CMN) by using their gaming to garner donations. Not only did Mick support BBCH (a CMN Hospital) with an awesome game donation, but Mick also took it up a notch by shopping for the games at GameStop! Sure, it was a nice way to support GameStop with stock market earnings, but GameStop is also a CMN partner, and holds in-store fundraising campaigns that benefit BBCH. Way to make this a win-win-win for everyone, Mick!
Games- including video games- can be a fun part of a child’s stay at BBCH. All BBCH inpatient rooms, including our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) have an Xbox One, and patients are able to “check out” games from our library, in order to play in their rooms. As Bethany Sweet, a Child Life Specialist at BBCH explains, “Video games provide normalcy in the hospital environment. Patients and families typically are familiar with video game systems from their home environments; having this resource creates an inviting space for children to receive care.” In many cases, gaming helps to take the focus off the illness or injury a child is being treated for. Some patients are even able to manage with less pain medication, thanks to the distraction video games offer.
Mick, who held on to the GameStop stock for less than a week told us, “Video games has been one of my biggest hobbies since I was in grade school, and I love that giving back to the community through organizations like Extra Life has become a part of gaming culture.”
Thank you Mick for being so thoughtful with your generous donation of (41!) video games to BBCH! You’ve refreshed our gaming library, and our patients will benefit from your incredible kindness for years to come. We also appreciate you paying it forward and supporting our partners, and for helping to raise awareness for BBCH!