The Ultimate Gaming Fundraiser: Riley's Story
Say hello to 9-year-old Riley, a young patient who has raised over £1,500 for Games for the Weans with his gaming fundraiser! After an adverse reaction to a routine procedure, Riley was anxious about returning to the children’s hospital for further check-ups.
Thanks to our hospital gaming services, the ability to play video games has provided Riley with the best distraction as he prepares for upcoming appointments and has given him some much-needed normality during his frequent hospital stays.
Riley’s Hospital Journey
Riley was antenatally diagnosed with Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) and was delivered four weeks early via C-section on November 16th, 2015.
After three weeks in NICU, Riley was discharged but soon readmitted to Ward 1E due to a rapid heart rate. It was during this stay that Riley was diagnosed with Persistent Junctional Reciprocating Tachycardia (PJRT). Riley was discharged on December 24th, just in time to spend his first Christmas at home with his Mum, Dad and Big Sister.
Since then, Riley has had frequent visits to the children’s hospital for cardiology, respiratory, allergy and dermatology outpatient appointments. He has also had several stays in Ward 1E to correct his heart rhythm and to tweak medication
Although Riley still finds medical procedures challenging, our wonderful Play Team have helped ease Riley’s anxiety with creative distractions. Riley especially enjoys gaming, which led he and Mum Nicola to our gaming services, after learning about our Gamer-in-Residence, Steven Mair.
Gamer-in-Residence
At Scotland’s busiest children’s hospital, every young patient now has the chance to game with their ‘Player Two’ — thanks to Steven, our dedicated Gamer-in-Residence. Whether it’s easing anxiety, breaking the boredom, or simply offering a much-needed distraction, Steven is on hand to help children relax and feel less isolated during their hospital stay.
This exciting role, the first full-time position of its kind in the UK and Ireland, was launched last year by Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, in partnership with Devolver Digital and Neonhive.
“The Play Team are absolutely amazing and help us so much, but there’s only so much drawing Riley wants to do. So, when I saw that there was a Gamer-in-Residence, I couldn’t wait to tell Riley!”
Nicola, Riley’s Mum
Nicola has seen first-hand how much of a difference gaming has made to Riley’s hospital journey:
“Gaming has provided a real distraction for Riley and made him less anxious about going in for appointments or check-ups. It’s such a brilliant idea, especially for children Riley’s age—an absolute game-changer!
If he’s having a tough time, he can unwind with the Switch or PlayStation. And when he’s nervous about a visit, we can say, ‘Steven might be there to game with you.’ It’s made a huge difference for our whole family.”
In addition to one-on-one gaming sessions with young patients, Steven also plans gaming-themed events in the hospital and manages the charity’s Gaming Volunteers. A particular highlight was Mario Day in the hospital’s MediCinema, where Riley joined other young patients for a live Mario Kart event—and even received a rainbow-themed goody box to top it off!
The Ultimate Gaming Fundraiser
On Sunday, March 30th, Riley hosted his very own Fortnite charity tournament, inviting school friends to join in and raise money for our Games for the Weans campaign.
“I told Riley it would be a great idea to fundraise for Games for the Weans, and he was so excited. Riley and his Dad love gaming, and when they heard about gaming vans, Riley took charge, emailing companies and even contacting Rangers FC for a raffle prize!”
Rangers FC generously donated a stadium and museum tour, raising an impressive £250. With support from The Ultimate Gaming Van, who donated their services on the day, Riley’s fundraiser was a great success, raising over £1500 for Games for the Weans!
“I raised money for Steven so that he can get better equipment and so that more children can game when they’re in hospital like me.”
Riley
Our Gamer-in-Residence, Steven, and gaming volunteer, Daniel, went along on the day to support the fundraiser. They handed out medals and awarded Riley with his very own eSports jersey, to celebrate the incredible success of his fundraising!
Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity would also like to thank The Ultimate Gaming Van for providing several hours’ worth of their service for free to make the whole fundraiser happen. We're blown away by their support and are excited to have them on board as we continue to grow our gaming services in the children’s hospital.
A huge thank you to Riley, his friends, and everyone who supported this amazing event!