The Make-A-Wish Foundation has been granting wishes for seriously ill children for decades, and as kids’ tastes trend ever more toward gaming and streaming, Make-A-Wish UK is building a new program to make the most of that connection. GameStars is a fundraising effort aimed at bringing the gaming community together to help grant kids’ wishes.
GameStars is a fundraising hub where individuals can build events to benefit Make-A-Wish, similar to annual efforts like Extra Life. Make-A-Wish encourages developers, streamers, and everyday players to get involved in whatever way they can – whether by organising a fundraising stream, a local event, or whatever else they can manage.
“Through gaming, seriously ill children and teenagers can experience a new identity where they are not ill and there are no limits to their abilities, so it’s also a way of escaping the reality of life with a serious illness,” Make-A-Wish chief executive Jason Suckley says. “More children than ever have turned to us in recent months, so we’re urging the whole gaming community to get behind us to help us to grant wishes by fundraising through GameStars.”
The organisation is partnering with Tom ‘Syndicate’ Cassell for GameStars. Syndicate hosted the efforts launch event, meeting and playing games with Make-A-Wish teenagers.
You can find out much more about the Make-A-Wish GameStars program at the official site, which includes a load of resources for beginning streamers to get started.