Children's Hospital Gaming Systems Get Big Upgrade Through 'Make Room For Kids' Project

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – "Make Room for Kids" is an extension of the Austin's Playroom project. Both are backed by the Mario Lemieux foundation to help families who have kids at Children's Hospital.

Today, those families and their caregivers got an upgrade to the gaming technology that is there for the kids to use.

In the words of Mr. McFeely there is a special delivery coming to Children's Hospital.

A group of volunteers from Microsoft is installing Xbox gaming systems in the rooms of the pediatric and thoracic surgery unit at Children's Hospital.

"I get multiple requests each day to bring Xboxes to the bedside and we only have four or five right now and we have 23 rooms. So, this is going to be really fantastic," Rachael Szewczyk, of Children's Hospital, said.

Now, each room on the wing will have its own unit, which can play movies and a ton of different games, too.

"We picked this project back in 2009 because we felt passionate that Microsoft technology, specifically Microsoft gaming technology, can make things a little bit normal for the kids staying here at Children's Hospital," Microsoft's Luke Sossi said.

The units were donated through contributions made by Microsoft employees and matching funds. Since 2009, the "Make Room for Kids" initiative has installed more than 400 consoles throughout the hospital.

"We got Microsoft involved and fast forward and we are over 300 Xbox consoles, games, movies, controllers, headphones to be donated to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh," Mario Lemieux Foundation Executive Director Nancy Angus said.

While the young gamers may not fully understand the generosity of strangers, it is clear the technology will help them pass the time when times are a little tougher than normal.

"I got a Lego game," said one patient.

"Are you happy that you got it?"

"Yeah. Daddy got it for me," he said.