Being stuck in a hospital is tough for anyone.

But for children — away from home, from their friends, from their favorite toys — the experience can be that much harder.

So it was a no-brainer for Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children, which provides services for more than 20,000 children every year, to participate in a national charity that would help stock its playroom.

Child's Play is a charitable organization founded by the authors of the popular Web comic Penny Arcade. It organizes a worldwide toy drive every Christmas for children's hospitals. Since 2003, the Seattle-based charity has raised more than $2 million in games, toys and cash for more than 45 hospitals around the world.

Through this charity, Kapi'olani has received hundreds of video games, DVDs, computer software, game systems and portable DVD players for its playroom. In addition, people have donated thousands of dollars in cash, which the hospital uses to buy other supplies, games and toys for the kids.

Already, the hospital has received about $2,000 in donations — on pace to beat the $6,500 in donations it got in its first year.

'KIDS ARE KIDS'

The bulk of donations, all made through Amazon.com, have come from outside the state, from Connecticut to Canada, from New York to Norway.

"Kids are kids. They can have IVs in their arms, and they'll come to the playroom and play with a Wii game," said Lynne Wooddell, director of philanthropy at the hospital. "It really does make a difference."

Here's how the charity works: With input from patients and their families, the hospital submits a wish list of video games, movies and other items for its playroom. People go online and purchase these items, which are shipped directly to the hospital.

"It's like a wedding registry," Wooddell said, laughing. "You just log in and choose from our wish list. There's no middle man, no administrative fees. If you donate a $30 item, that $30 item goes to the hospital."

In fact, the ease of donating has bolstered the popularity of the charity, which started with about $250,000 in toys its first year and grow to more than $1 million in donations last year, said Kristin Lindsay, project manager at Penny Arcade.

"Because of how we operate, items are shipping directly to our partner hospitals without going through our hands," Lindsay said. "It keeps costs down and ensures that our donors and the recipients can connect directly."

A NEEDED DISTRACTION

Evonne Kalaikai remembers when her son, Jonah, was first diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia, three years ago.

He was scared, sad and wanted to be at home with his brother and sisters.

What helped him get through monthly chemotherapy sessions was hanging out in the playroom, Kalaikai said.

"It was something for him to do," said Kalaikai, a mother of four from Wahiawa. "It was a home away from home."

Steve Murphy, the hospital's chaplain, said the playroom offers a distraction for these kids, a kind of therapy that helps them manage their pain and fear.

"You see them light up a little bit," Murphy said. "This is something they can connect to."

He remembers how one long-term cancer patient watched "The Little Mermaid" every time she came in for treatment — at least 19 times. The hospital finally bought the girl her own copy.

Another teenage patient would come down to the playroom with his grandfather to play a bowling game on the Nintendo Wii game system between chemo treatments.

"It's these little things that help them connect, to normalize," Murphy said.

Three-year-old Jaeden Flojo-Opetaia zoomed around the playroom last week. He knew where all the games, movies and toys were.

Jaeden started coming to Kapi'olani for monthly chemo-therapy treatments three years ago, when he was diagnosed with leukemia. During his first treatment, he wound up staying in the hospital for a month.

"It was really hard," said his mom, Angelica Opetaia, 21, of Makaha.

The whole family found solace in the playroom, which let the kids be kids and gave parents a break, too.

"It makes our days here go by faster," Opetaia said. "He actually enjoys being here."

Join our discussion: Volunteering? Supporting charities?

Reach Catherine E. Toth at ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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