A Scottish children’s hospital now has a gamer-in-residence to play games with children

A children’s hospital in Scotland now has a gamer-in-residence, in what is said to be a first in the UK and Ireland. Steven Mair’s first full-time job will be playing with children at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

As with other gambling-related charitable activities in children’s hospitals, the goal is to help patients relax, minimize feelings of boredom and isolation, while providing them with a sense of escape from everyday life. Studies have shown that playing games can help reduce the pain and anxiety of pediatric patients during procedures, as well as the fears of their caregivers.

Mair also organizes gaming events at the facility, raises funds for new gaming equipment and supervises gaming volunteers for the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity. The charity established the gamer-in-residence position with the help of partners Devolver Digital and Neonhive after raising over £100,000 ($129,000) last year, such as through a Scottish Games Sale on Steam for a campaign called Games for the Weans (“weans” is a Scottish word for “children”). Meanwhile, a $12,000 donation from Child’s Play earlier this year will help fund the replacement of older Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 systems with hospital-grade consoles.

“Children in Jace’s ward can have long stays and intensive treatment plans. This can include physical pain and many new emotions. Parents often feel helpless at times. My son Jace in particular is an experienced player. “His blood disorder prevented him from going outside or going to school,” Catherine Reid, the mother of seven-year-old Jace, said in a statement. I could barely get through without swelling.

​“When the gamer-in-residence came over to play Mario on the Nintendo, he immediately beamed and smiled. It was an instant boost of energy for him, mentally and physically. In fact, I think kids often want some time to play and play with new friends.”

This is a fantastic idea. Hospital stays can be hard for everyone, but especially for children and their families. You can support the Gaming in Residence program and other charities that help young hospital patients play by donating to organizations such as Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity and Child’s Play.

Meanwhile, November 2nd marks Extra Life’s Game Day, an event where players and communities raise funds for children’s hospitals. You can register to participate or make a donation on the Extra Life website.