LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A gaming and technology specialist at Golisano Children’s at UK is using video games, virtual reality and adaptive technology to help young patients find an escape from the stress of medical treatments.
Cody Dean works within the Child Life program at the hospital, where patients have access to the Kloiber Foundation Teen Lounge. He is one of only 60 people with his type of job worldwide.
“I’ve always loved working with people, I love technology, I’ve always been a gamer, so it was a unique blending of all my passions,” Dean said.
The father of four and former pastor, who even has a Zelda-inspired tattoo in honor of his boys, has found fulfillment in a career helping kids find relief during difficult times.
“Our pediatric patients, they face situations that kids necessarily shouldn’t have to face, and it’s really sad that they have to face those things. So doing this stuff kind of gives some of that childhood back to them, that magic, that excitement that they deserve,” Dean said.
Inside the teen lounge, patients have access to video game systems, virtual reality, and assistive technology. Dean also uses free designs found online to create custom fidget toys and accessories for gamers with limited mobility, all created on 3D printers in the lounge.
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“We can adapt these to change the size, depending on grip strength, hand size,” Dean said as he showed off video game controllers.
“A lot of this adaptive equipment can be pretty expensive, but what I love here is that we can take and really adapt the technology to the child, not necessarily have the child adapt to the technology,” Dean said.
Dean recalled one moment that illustrated the impact of the lounge, as two patients connected over gaming.
“For about two hours they actually played here in the room and as they connected more, I kind of started backing up a little bit. And just watching them as they connected. And for him he actually looked over at the other patient after he was done playing, and he said, ‘For the first time since I found out my diagnosis, I felt like myself again and I forgot that I had that diagnosis,'” Dean explained.
Mission accomplished for the teen lounge.