West Coast utility Brent Staker dropped into Princess Margaret Hospital this morning to re-open the unique Megazone Sensory Room as a recreational facility for patients with special needs.
The room was recently remodelled for better wheelchair access and existing equipment was replaced with four different interactive sensory boards that make sounds and change colours when activated by the children, new light switch adapted fibre optic tubes which change colours and a projector that reflects pictures onto the wall. The room also features fibre optic cables and handheld sensory toys.
The renovations were funded by the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation through donations from the West Coast Eagles and Staker is proud of his club’s contribution to the hospital.
“It’s very good to know that the West Coast Eagles and the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation are part of that and help fund things for the hospital,” Staker said.
“The room is extremely, extremely fun. It’s like being in a completely different world. It’s very vital for the kids and it’s great to be one of the first to see it and use the toys and see what it’s about.
“It’s very touching (to meet some of the kids). One little boy’s in there, little Ben, has had cancer of the brain and just to see him playing with the buttons and the sounds and the colours just took his mind completely away from being in hospital and what he’s been through.
“For him to have a bit of fun, it’s great to see. It does a lot for the individual and his development and getting better.”
West Coast has proudly partnered the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation since 2005 and in that time has raised close to $100,000 for the hospital.
