Sparrow caregivers to play games for 24 hours to raise money for children’s health

LANSING, MI – It will look a little different this year but Sparrow IT caregivers plan to continue their tradition of playing the latest video games, and old-fashioned console, board, and card games, for 24 hours straight to raise money for the University of Michigan Health at Sparrow Children’s Center.

In a nod to social distancing restrictions due to the pandemic, the caregivers will exhaust themselves by playing games virtually instead of hunkering down with each other in their offices, as they typically do.

Participants – in conjunction with the Sparrow Foundation – are asking the public to donate to the effort through https://www.extra-life.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=452277#donate

The caregivers are participating in Extra Life, a national gaming marathon in which they raised over $16,000 for children’s health last year. As many as 100 Sparrow IT caregivers are expected to be involved. There will be social and competitive games, poker, trivia, spooky contests, and much more. The event runs from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday.

Sparrow IT caregivers have participated in Extra Life since 2015 and raised tens of thousands of dollars for Sparrow, the region’s only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Nationally, Extra Life Game Day is Nov. 6. Everyone is invited to sign up at extra-life.org.

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Sparrow is Mid-Michigan’s premier healthcare organization and includes hospitals in Lansing, Charlotte, St. Johns, Ionia, and Carson City as well as Physicians Health Plan, Sparrow Care Network, Sparrow Medical Group, the Michigan Athletic Club, and AL!VE. Sparrow is affiliated with Michigan Medicine through the Sparrow Children’s Center and with Michigan State University’s three human health colleges. Through these partnerships and the dedication of our 10,000 Caregivers, Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and Patient experience. For more information, visit Sparrow.org.

Photo caption: (from left) Sparrow caregivers Elizabeth Butz and Marti Samsel were honored with national awards for improving the patient experience at Sparrow.