Thanks to your support, we were delighted to donate new video game equipment to the Liver Unit at King’s College Hospital! This donation was made in memory of Jonathan Carroll, one of the unit’s former patients, who has sadly passed away after dealing with a liver condition.

The Liver Unit treats a diverse range of liver conditions as well as rare diseases. As reported in the Southwark News, staff requested the donation in Jonathan’s name. He had spent over 12 months receiving treatment for his condition at King’s. When he was on the ward, he used gaming to keep himself occupied.

“There is clear evidence that gaming can help reduce patients’ stress and anxiety during a hospital stay, and we felt that helping to keep other people entertained would be a wonderful tribute to Jonathan,” said Paul McKie (specialist social worker on the liver transplant team) to Inside King’s, the hospital newsletter.

The donation includes three Nintendo Switch consoles, as well as games such as Big Brain Academy. Jonathan’s Mii avatar is emblazoned on the reverse of each Switch console, in his memory. You can support us to bring more gaming supplies to health units.

Jonathan’s mother said: “Games were his life support system, particularly during prolonged periods in hospital. They brought him so much fun and enjoyment, and it is wonderful to think that other patients at King’s can now share something he loved so much.”

Within the Liver Unit, there will be ongoing work to measure the impact of the donated consoles and games. We hope that this donation will help bring Liver Unit inpatients some escape and brightness during their stay!