Nintendo of America Inc. Dedicates a Starlight Fun Center to Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach

The Fun Center will bring joy and laughter to Miller Children’s littlest patients

–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Nintendo of America Inc.:

WHAT:
Nintendo and Starlight Children’s Foundation™ will place a Starlight Fun Center™ mobile entertainment unit, featuring a Wii™ video game system, DVD player and a Sharp AQUOS™ LCD TV, in the Miller West pediatric unit at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach.

The Fun Center dedication is part of a series of festivities surrounding Nintendo’s launch of its Kirby’s Return to Dream Land™ game for the Wii system on Oct. 24.

Earlier this month, Nintendo inspired kids across North America to discover their inner superheroes with some help from the iconic Kirby™ video game character. Kids who visited a website created for Kirby’s Return to Dream Land were invited to create drawings and descriptions of their dream Super Abilities. Their imaginative creations were then submitted to Nintendo to be part of a project to aid Starlight, raise awareness about the organization and encourage children to help others. For added inspiration, kids can also visit The Stacks website at http://www.scholastic.com/nintendokirby/ and take a “What’s Your Super Ability?” Quiz.

Nintendo will display several of these submissions during the Fun Center dedication at Miller Children’s. Patients at the hospital will also be invited to use coloring sheets to create their own Super Abilities, which Nintendo will use to create a mural for the hospital.

Kirby will also be on hand for the Fun Center dedication to interact with young patients, play Fun Center games and distribute special blankets.

Kirby will be joined by actress and Starlight Fairy Godmother Jamie Lee Curtis, Executive Vice President of Nintendo America Inc. Don James and representatives from Miller Children’s and Starlight.

WHERE:
Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach
2801 Atlantic Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90806

WHEN:
Thursday, October 27, 2011; 2 p.m.

Please join us on Thursday!
Photo and interview opportunities will include:
Jamie Lee Curtis, actress and Starlight Fairy Godmother
Don James, Executive Vice President, Nintendo of America Inc.
Mel Marks, M.D., Executive Vice President, Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach
Joyce Volsch, Vice President, Patient Care Services, Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach
Rita Goshert, Manager, Child Life, Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach
Roger Shiffman, Global Board Chairman, Starlight Children’s Foundation
Jacqueline Hart-Ibrahim, Global CEO, Starlight Children’s Foundation
Kirby
Children
Unveiling

BACKGROUND:
Since 1992, Nintendo and Starlight have placed more than 7,000 Fun Centers in hospitals across North America. The ease with which Fun Centers roll right up to the side of young patients’ beds or anywhere in a hospital setting makes them perfect for hospitalized children in numerous situations: anticipating surgery, during long outpatient clinic treatments, waiting in the emergency room or fighting loneliness after visiting hours have ended. Fun Centers uniquely counter the isolation and fear often experienced by sick children. The Fun Center is a welcome guest, when other visitors aren’t around!

Source: Nintendo PR