Children's Hospital Gets Robot To Help Patients Virtually Attend Events

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Cris Colaluca, a high school junior from New Castle, has donated a robot named VGo to Children's Hospital - with the help of Make-a-Wish of Western Pennsylvania.

"We are here to celebrate Cris' generosity of spirit, and to tell him we are here to make his wish come true," announced Judith Stone, president of the local chapter.

The teenager, who has a rare seizure disorder, wants others to share his ability to attend school and other events when they can't physically make it themselves.

He was a seventh grader at Mohawk Jr. High when we visited him in his home town a couple years back. He communicated from home, through the robot at school.

Having been a patient at Children's Hospital, Cris says his choice of a wish was easy.

"I thought VGo, children. I think it's a match."

His care coordinator at Children's, Dr. Andrew Urbach, agrees it will help the hospital's young patients.

"Many of them are here for a long time. And being able to go to their classroom, and connect with their teachers and with other students, it's a very big deal."

Cris and his mother hope to make the robots available to others.

"When we signed him up for Make-a-Wish, and I said, OK, what do you want, he said, I want to start a foundation and give these to other kids," Terry Colaluca said.

"Since I had a VGo, I just decided other kids would want one too," Cris Colaluca added.

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