THUNDER BAY, ON, June 3, 2013 – The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) has added a new Fun Centre to help brighten the lives of seriously ill children and their families. The Fun Centre was provided by Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada thanks to the generous support of Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories.
The new Starlight Fun Centre offers kids endless hours of entertainment therapy, everything from watching movies to playing their favourite Nintendo Wii™ games. The media units can be easily wheeled into ICUs, emergency departments or individual hospital rooms to bring smiles back to the faces of children who are unable to leave their own beds.
“The Starlight Fun Centre encourages seriously ill children to play and to just be kids again. Parents find comfort from seeing the happiness on their child’s face,” says Christopher Barry, President, Starlight Canada. “Starlight is pleased to provide this Fun Centre for children of Thunder Bay Regional Health and I am grateful to Gamma-Dynacare for making this all possible.”
“We’re very happy to be working in partnership with Starlight Canada, helping to brighten the lives of sick children here in Thunder Bay, home to our Orchid PRO-DNA division,” says Scott Hickey, Vice-President, Strategic Planning and Corporate Communications at Gamma-Dynacare. “By providing valuable diagnostic information, we seek to improve the quality of millions of lives each and every year. Through our Community Outreach program, we are committed to impacting lives by promoting health and wellness and building stronger communities in the places where we live and work.”
Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada continues lifting the spirits of seriously ill children through in and out of hospital programs. Starlight has been deeply invested in Thunder Bay Regional Health for nearly a decade, since their first Fun Centre was provided in 2004. Donations can be made through the Starlight Canada website by visiting www.starlightcanada.org.
“The kids are just thrilled with the new Fun Centre and we’re very grateful to Starlight Canada and Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories for bringing smiles to our patients,” said Kathy MacDonald, Child Life Specialist, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. “This particular Fun Centre will be shared between our pediatric inpatient and outpatient units as well as the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit. It will allow many children of multiple ages the opportunity to have some fun and enhance their hospital experience.”
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