By Sonya Davidson
I volunteered at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto a few years back. My responsibility was to keep the kids entertained post operation. The children were there for more than a few days and sometimes their parents couldn't be with them. They had to either return to work, had other kids to take care of, or they had to run errands. It was an eye opening experience that still leaves me humbled.
If you have children you can appreciate just how important it is for both parents and kids to feel at ease in these sort of situations. It's not easy as a parent sometimes but to know that we've got this world-class children's hospital available is very comforting. We've been there several times.
I was personally happy to learn that Microsoft Canada, through its partnership with Children's Miracle Network, presented its Child Life Interactive Computer for Kids (CLICK) program at The Hospital for Sick Children.
This program aims to create a sense of normalcy for the children who need to stay in the hospital for a lengthy duration.
Through the power of play, kids have the opportunity to do what they are familiar with... a bit of home away from home. Kids have access to a wireless network, PC tablets, software, webcams to chat with family, digital cameras and printers as well as playing on the new Xbox One.
This is the sixth hospital in Canada to have this bedside connectivity. The partnership also provides a three-year funding for a Child Life Specialist who is responsible for overseeing program and the integrating the technology into the hospital.
It's comforting to know that the kids and their families can stay connected while on the mend. After all, what good is all this technology if it can't help people when they need it the most.