Gaming Before Chemo, A Child’s Escape

"Sometimes kids need to be kids, so that their body can heal and function as normal," Usinger said. "If we didn’t have video games here, we’d be at a huge loss, especially with kids who are older or of middle school age. It’s important that we meet them where they are in life."

Usinger, who has been with Emanuel’s Child Life program for all of her career going back to 2001, and is both a psychologist and trained specialist in her field, puts her job in the big picture. "I help kids cope with being in the hospital," she says, "and it’s a pretty big umbrella."