I AM GOING ON A REAL ONE.
Anchor: MIGHT BE IN THE
HOSPITAL BUT THESE CHILDREN FEEL
LIKE THEY ARE ON A THRILLING
RIDE.
YIPPIE!
Anchor: YOU KNOW, IT IS AN
UNIMAGINABLE GIFT FOR A SICK
CHILD IT DAYS AND NIGHTS ARE
SPENT IN THE HOSPITAL.
FOR JUST A MOMENT.
THEY CAN FORGET HOW THEY FEEL.
KIMBERLY GILL SHOWS US HOW
VIDEO GAME SCHOOL IN ANN ARBOR
HELPS CHILDREN TO GO ON AN
ADVENTURE WHEN IN THE HOSPITAL.
Reporter: ULTIMATE GOAL OF
PROGRAMS LIKE THIS IS TO GIVE
CHILDREN IN THE HOSPITAL TO HAVE
A CHANCE TO FEEL NORMAL AND
FORGET THEY ARE SICK FOR A SHORT
WHILE.
TELL ME IF IT IS TOO TIGHT OR
COMFORTABLE OR NOT.
Reporter: FIVE-YEAR-OLD
BRENLY HAS LEUKEMIA.
TODAY SHE IS NOT THINKING ABOUT
HOW SICK SHE IS.
THIS IS FUN.
Reporter: THAT'S BECAUSE
SHE IS RIDING A ROLLER COASTER
FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.
IT LOOKS LIKE I AM ON A REAL
ONE.
Reporter: GOGGLES AND HEAD
PHONES MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO
EXPERIENCE ANYTHING ANYWHERE
THROUGH THE POWER OF VIRTUAL
REALITY.
SO THAT MEANS KIDS LIKE BRENLY
AND HER FRIEND MICAELLA THAT
CANCER IS IN REMISSION.
WHAT IS DOWN THERE?
GRASS.
Reporter: CAN GO ON AN
ADVENTURE WITHOUT LEAVING THE
HOSPITAL.
WHAT DID YOU THINK.
GOOD.
?
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART?
THE LOOP.
Reporter: PARENTS GET JOY
FROM SEEING THE KID'S REACTION.
MAKES ME FEEL GREAT THAT SHE
CAN STILL, YOU KNOW, FEEL AND
LIVE LIKE, YOU KNOW, LIKE SHE
WAS BEFORE.
Reporter: LOCAL GAME
DEVELOPING COMPANY CALLED GAME
START HELPED TO BRING THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO KIDS AT CS MOTT
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IN ANN
ARBOR.
MISSION TO TAKE KIDS MINDS OFF
BEING SICK BUT TEACH THEM WHAT
IT TAKES TO MAKE A VIDEO GAME.
WHAT THEY WERE DOING IS
TEACHING KIDS HOW TO PROGRAM OWN
VIDEO GAMES.
AND TEACHING THEM HOW TO MAKE
THEIR OWN GAMES.
USING SIMPLE CODE.
AND GRAPHIC DESIGN.
Reporter: ONE DAY FOLKS
FROM GAME START BROUGHT IN THE
RIFT AND IT DID NOT TAKE LONG TO
SEE HOW THIS APPARATUS CHANGED
THE KIDS ENTIRE HOSPITAL
EXPERIENCE.
OH, MY GOSH.
Reporter: THIS IS "YOUTUBE"
VIDEO FROM SOME OF THE OTHER
KIDS EXPERIENCING IT.
FEELS LIKE YOU ARE ON A RIDE.
THEY ARE USUALLY ENTHUSIASTIC
ABOUT IT, WHEN YOU PUT THE HEAD
SET ON IT DOES FEEL DIFFERENT.
TRICKS YOUR BRAIN IN SUCH A WAY
THAT YOU KNOW IT FEELS LIKE YOU
ARE OUTSIDE.
IN ANOTHER ENVIRONMENT.
THIS IS THE COOLEST THING
EVER.
Reporter: NOT JUST YOUNGER
PATIENT THAT IS LOVE IT.
THIS IS LIKE -- SO REALISTIC
IT IS UNBELIEVABLE THIS IS
POSSIBLE.
Reporter: 18-YEAR-OLD
TERRANCE SOVA SUFFERS FROM A
ILLNESS THAT CAUSES CHRONIC
PAIN.
I DON'T THINK OF A ROLLER
COASTER WHEN I AM IN THE
HOSPITAL.
BECAUSE I HAVE IV'S IN.
SO IF YOU ARE ABLE TO HAVE IV'S
AND GO ON A ROLLER COASTER
THAT'S AWESOME.
Reporter: DANIEL LOVE IS
14.
AND HIS CANCER HAS RELAPSED FOR
A THIRD TIME.
I WAS THINKING IT WAS NOT
GOING TO BE THAT REALISTIC.
Reporter: OCLUS RIFT
DISTRACTS HIM FROM SEVEN YEARS
HE HAS SPENT IN AND OUT OF THE
HOSPITAL.
ALL BECAUSE THIS ONE LITTLE
DEVICE JUST CHANGED OUR ENTIRE
DAY.
AND THEIR EXPERIENCE AT THE
HOSPITAL.
SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN A
NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE THAT WOULD
HAVE A NEGATIVE OPINION FOR
THEIR LIVE LIFE IS ONE OF THE
MOST POSITIVE THINGS THEY HAVE
DONE.
Reporter: GAME START WANTS
TO DO MORE THAN GIVE CHILDREN A
VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE.
THEY ARE TEACHING THEM WHAT GOES
IN TO MAKING VIDEO GAMES.
FOR MORE ON WHAT THEY DO.
GO TO THE COMMUNITY PAGE OF
CLICKONDETROIT.COM.
I AM KIMBERLY GILL.
BACK TO YOU.
Anchor: FROM ALL THE
REACTIONS WE KNOW IT WAS A HIT.
BUT WAITING FOR SOMEBODY TO SAY
I WANT TO DO IT AGAIN.