How Get-Well Gamers is helping young patients across the UK

For many, video games are often discussed as entertainment – they are a way to unwind after lectures or escape into another world for a few hours.  

But, for others, gaming serves a far more vital purpose. It helps manage pain, anxiety, and long periods of hospitalisation. 

The charity supports young patients through moments of distress

Get-Well Gamers is a charitable organisation that provides video game consoles, games, and accessories to children’s hospitals, hospices, and specialist care centres across the UK. By working closely with play specialists, the charity supports young patients through moments of distress, offering comfort, distraction, and a sense of normality during treatment. 

The charity was founded in 2001 by Ryan Sharpe, whose own childhood experience in a hospital shaped the organisation’s mission. He estimates that around two full years of his early life were spent at CHOC Children’s Hospital, where he was treated for pneumonia, recurrent bronchitis, blood poisoning, and other serious illnesses.  

For a chunk of that time, his entertainment options were limited to daytime television, at least up until two arcade machines (Zaxxon and Donkey Kong Jr.) were installed in the hospital’s break room. 

“You forget that you hurt, you don’t feel all the aches and pains, and you don’t notice the needles stuck in your body,” Sharpe said. “It’s just you and the game.” 

This experience would go on to shape the creation of Get-Well Gamers, an organisation which grew rapidly and was supported by donations from video game developers, publishers, and gaming enthusiasts.  

The idea that video games can help manage pain is not just anecdotal – it is increasingly supported by research

In 2014, Get-Well Gamers expanded into Europe with the launch of Get-Well Gamers UK, and, although the original foundation was acquired by the charity AbleGamers in 2016, the UK branch remains focused on supporting hospitals nationwide. 

The idea that video games can help manage pain is not just anecdotal – it is increasingly supported by research and clinical practice. One of the most effective coping mechanisms is distraction. Games demand high levels of attention, drawing focus away from pain signals and reducing how intensely they are felt.  

For instance, in a study by Jones et al. (2014), veterans with PTSD showed improvements in their symptoms after playing the game Tetris. The researchers suggested that the game’s engaging nature and cognitive demands could potentially help rewire the brain and mitigate the negative effects of traumatic experiences. 

Gaming also activates the brain’s reward system, releasing endorphins – natural painkillers that can improve mood and ease discomfort.  

For children who often feel powerless in medical environments, games offer something rare: a sense of control and achievement. Completing levels or mastering challenges can help build emotional resilience during treatment.  

A 2008 study showed that a specially-designed video game called Re-Mission helped adolescent and young adult cancer patients improve their emotional self-regulation and self-efficacy. 

Sharpe himself points to this neurological engagement when explaining the charity’s mission: “Video games engage the auditory, visual, tactile, and cognitive centres of the brain to work together toward one goal,” he says. “They literally have the ability to make the brain forget that the body hurts.” 

Some hospitals are now even using immersive technologies, such as virtual reality gaming, during painful procedures or physical therapy, highlighting how interactive entertainment is becoming an increasingly valuable therapeutic tool. 

Get-Well Gamers works closely with hospital play specialists and child life teams to ensure donated equipment is used effectively.  

Emily Grankowski, a former child life manager at CHOC Children’s Hospital, says the charity’s support has had a lasting impact: “These games are used by patients in our playrooms and at bedside,” she explained. “They offer a wonderful diversion during hospitalisation, and we greatly appreciate the continued support from this terrific organisation.” 

Get-Well Gamers challenges the idea that games are simply a hobby

Get-Well Gamers UK accepts most video games, consoles, accessories, and tablets, provided they are clean, safe, and fully functional – an essential requirement for healthcare environments. While some older systems are no longer accepted due to demand and storage limitations, retro gaming equipment is still welcome. 

Rather than going directly to hospitals, older or rare items are often used in fundraising events or sold at auctions, with the proceeds funding newer, in-demand equipment. In some cases, a single donated game can help fund multiple hospital donations. 

Get-Well Gamers challenges the idea that video games are simply a hobby. In hospitals and hospices, they become tools for pain relief, emotional regulation, and connection, reminding young patients that they are still kids first, not just patients.