By Michaela Gordoni
Disney’s latest project is something everyone won’t get to experience.
The company has partnered with health tech company Philips to give child patients a more comfortable MRI experience.
The machines launched this week in the US, UK and several other countries, Variety reported. These scanners have themed lights, sounds, stories and characters integrated to provide a calmer experience.
A study that conducted tests on these Disneyfied machines showed they reduce stress levels in post-scan pediatric patients between 6 and 10. Pauses during scans dropped by 63%.
Related: Disney Grants Incredible ‘Week of Wishes’ to Make-A-Wish Kids
“At Disney, we believe stories have the power to bring comfort and emotional connection to children and families,” said Lisa Haines, SVP for corporate social responsibility at The Walt Disney Company. “We’re proud to collaborate with Philips to extend that impact into MRI rooms in a meaningful way — using our beloved stories and characters to help provide moments of escape, normalcy, and reassurance during what can be an intimidating experience for kids in hospitals.”
Eligible hospitals across 87 counties will eventually be able to have this tech, too.
Philips’ chief medical officer, Atul Gupta, said, “By bringing Disney stories into the MRI environment, we are helping create a setting where children can feel more at ease and remain still during scans. Reducing stress can improve the experience for young patients and their families, while helping care teams deliver efficient, high-quality imaging so they can care for more children each day, supporting better care for more people.”
The Walt Disney Company said children can choose which characters they want to see in their experience, which includes a head-mounted mirror displaying the characters at the end of the MRI tunnel.
The clips feature gentle, slow-paced visuals so that children are not overstimulated and are still able to follow instructions.
A mom of a 7-year-old patient at Calderdale Royal Hospital in the UK was pleasantly surprised with how well her daughter did in the Disney scan.
“She surprised me because she was completely still during this,” the mom said. “I think the Philips Ambient Experience with Disney just helped her relax. It gave her something to focus on and be distracted by.”
Fierce Pharma reported that over 100 sites in the UK are eligible to use the technology at no extra cost. Disney also provides the art and imagery for free.
Disney recently fulfilled a $100 million global commitment to impacting child patients’ experiences. This included initiatives at Disney Land resorts, mural installations, movie nights at hospitals, parties, merchandise like hospital gowns and toys and more.
Read Next: Disney Marks 150,000 Wishes Granted Through Make-A-Wish Foundation
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
– Content: +2Share:
– Content: +1