PHOENIX - February 18, 2019 - (Newswire.com)
Walker Charities and their Pads for Pēds program, a philanthropic organization that provides Apple iPad® "Lending Libraries" and digital entertainment tools to children’s hospitals across the nation, celebrates their latest partnership with Phoenix Children’s Hospital. A "Lending Library" consists of computer tablets with protective cases and charging stations that pediatric patients may borrow and use during their hospital stay. Benefitting hospitals include Children’s Mercy in Kansas City, Children’s Minneapolis, Portland Shriner’s, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Mayo Clinic Children’s Center in Rochester, Minnesota.
Recently, Pads for Pēds partnered with Phoenix Children’s to provide their patients with five new GoKart portable video game kiosks, as well as a new Apple iPad® program for use by physicians in their biorepository sector. The partnership was created to develop a pipeline of donations to Phoenix Children’s to aid in offering comfort, diversion and education for young patients. The organizations intend to work together in the coming years to bring additional tools to PCH to aid in their joint goals.
“Pads for Peds literally brings the outside world into the hospital,” said Steve Schnall, senior vice president and chief development officer at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation. “For children who want to learn about and communicate with the world outside hospital doors, this program is invaluable.”
Pads For Pēds was born from a Walker experience that provided a single Apple iPad® to an ailing boy in Masonic Children’s Hospital at the University of Minnesota. Founders Brian and Diane Walker felt strongly that many more children and families could be touched with these amazing devices, so they sought to find ways to partner with great children’s hospitals across the country. To date, Pads For Pēds has delivered more than 125 tablets and related support equipment to their partner hospitals. Phoenix Children’s is now one of those partners, delivering innovative solutions to improve patient care experiences.
Tablets and digital gaming devices give hospital patients distraction from their pain. Studies have shown Apple iPad® and other electronic devices keep patient-focus occupied so that anxiety is often reduced. These studies found comparable anxiety reduction with the use of a common sedative. (1) In addition to distraction and entertainment, Apple iPad® can be used for health education of patients and family and provide children the opportunity to connect via video chat and messaging. Partner hospitals are also innovating, finding even more ways to improve patient experiences with these emerging technologies.
Pads for Pēds is preparing to add additional Children’s Hospital partnerships during 2019. Since inception, all foundation funding has been privately provided and the group now seeks new corporate sponsorships and additional private donations. Charity updates and paths to donations can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/walkercharities/ or on their website at www.padsforpeds.org.
About Pads for Pēds:
The Pediatric Pad Foundation (Pads for Pēds), founded in 2014 through Walker Charities, is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides computer tablets and other related computer equipment to be used by patients at children’s hospitals and clinics all over the United States. Their mission is to bring joy and diversion to young hospital patients facing acute medical care. For more information about the Pads For Pēds, visit www.padsforpeds.org.
About Phoenix Children’s Hospital:
Phoenix Children’s Hospital is Arizona’s only children’s hospital recognized by U.S. News & World Report’s Best Children’s Hospitals. For 35 years, Phoenix Children's has provided world-class inpatient, outpatient, trauma, emergency and urgent care to children and families in Arizona and throughout the Southwest. As one of the largest children’s hospitals in the country, Phoenix Children’s delivers care across more than 75 pediatric specialties. Recognized specifically for its patient-focused innovation, medical education, growth and research, Phoenix Children’s was named Business of the Year and Exceptional Innovator by the Greater Phoenix Chamber in 2018. For more information about the hospital, visit phoenixchildrens.org.
Contact Information:
Leah Schaal
lschaal@padsforpeds.org
763-271-4967
Christina Caldwell
christina@evolveprandmarketing.com
480-363-4558
(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22766593
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Original Source: Phoenix Children's Hospital and Pads for Pēds Announce Partnership, First Endowment
