in many respects their story is representative of the more than 60 hospitals in the Child's Play network

And though Joe Evans is just one gamer, and Emanuel Children's is just one hospital, in many respects their story is representative of the more than 60 hospitals in the Child's Play network, and of the thousands of patients who have received donations of video games and consoles over the past decade whatever their source.The contribution replica handbags may be a single $50 title, but the gift is actually something else.""It gives them a time to just be a kid, which is really hard to do, sometimes,"" said Jen Usinger, a child life specialist in Emanuel's Child Life Program.

""An awful lot of their time here, they're being poked and prodded, they go through surgery, or they're sick and feeling horrible, and to get a moment and play video games, and just be a kid, is huge.""Game Crazy Wednesdays And A Special WiiIn a sadly ironic way, perhaps nothing certifies video games as a childhood more than the Star Lounge of handbags Emanuel Children's Hospital, where the lives children lead during their stays are far from normal.Here they enjoy ""Game Crazy"" every Wednesday night, playing Mario Kart or Super Smash Bros.Brawl on the big screen TV.

That said, their gaming experience here is, likewise, not anything they'd typically find at home.In a room looking high over the Columbia River and downtown Portland, kids can come here if they want, whenever they want, as late as 10 pm.The relaxed decoration and furniture arrangements, chill-out color schemes and a mini-theater handbag with rolling easy-chair seating, do their best to wash that realization away.Because outside, the reminders of what they can't do are plentiful.""The boredom of being in here, and tied to that IV, with the PICC line in, is something not a lot of people can understand,"" said Joe's father, Pat, 47.The family is from nearby in Portland.