Just in time for the holidays, Duracell has donated one million batteries to 146 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals nationwide. Duracell say it’s their way of powering the imagination of kids who need it most and I couldn’t agree more. I had the opportunity to witness this power first-hand as they joined forces with Lucasfilm to turn Children’s Hospital Los Angeles into a galactic playground.
Duracell invited the Jedi, R2D2, Darth Vader and some Stormtroopers to the hospital to help make life a little brighter for the patients. And I’m not gonna lie, when I saw the look in their eyes I bawled like a baby on my live Facebook feed. It was so inspiring!
The Star Wars franchise transcends age, race, borders and income. It is arguably the one series of films everyone can agree on as inspiring and entertaining. So what could be more perfect to lift the spirits of sick kids than with a visit from the stars of Star Wars?
Several patients from CHLA were treated to a sneak preview of the new movie Rogue One which opens everywhere on Dec. 16th. And as if that wasn’t cool enough, they went through Jedi training and a lightsaber battle high above Hollywood boulevard.
Believe me when I tell you that this was one of the most heartwarming things I’ve ever seen. The kids were armed with their Hasbro lightsabers, powered by Duracell, as they faced off against Vader and his Stormtroopers. It all happened outside CHLA on a bridge that crosses between the hospital and the parking structure.
The street below was closed off so everyone could get a better look. I overheard several kids say, “This is so cool! This is the best day of my life!” and at that moment I understood why Duracell made this kind of donation.
“Research shows imagination can create happiness, boost self-esteem, increase calmness and resilience, and help heal emotional and physical pain,” says Dr. Charlotte Reznick, internationally recognized child educational psychologist and author of The Los Angeles Times bestselling book, The Power of Your Child’s Imagination. “I’m delighted to see Duracell embrace the fact that letting kids be kids through imagination is healthy – mentally, emotionally and physically.”
So if something as small as the gift of a battery can power their toys or tablets, imagine what it can do for their recovery process. I’m told the batteries shipped earlier this month and will arrive by the holidays to help power their new holiday gifts.
To learn more about Duracell and how you can help support Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, please visit www.duracell.com.
About Duracell
Started in the 1920’s, the Duracell brand and company was recently acquired by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE-BRK.A, BRK.B) and has grown to be the leader in the single-use battery market in North America. The iconic Duracell brand is known the world over. Our products serve as the heart of devices that keep people connected, protect their families, entertain them, and simplify their increasingly mobile lifestyles. Our recharging technology allows consumers to live life without limits. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is a $210B holding company owning subsidiaries that engage in diverse business activities. Visit www.duracell.com for more information; follow us on Twitter.com/Duracell and like us on Facebook.com/Duracell.
About Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has been named the best children’s hospital in California and among the best in the nation for clinical excellence with its selection to the prestigious US News & World Report Honor Roll. Children’s Hospital is home to The Saban Research Institute, one of the largest and most productive pediatric research facilities in the United States. The hospital is also one of America’s premier teaching hospitals through its affiliation since 1932 with the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. For more information, visit www.CHLA.org. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn, or visit our blog: www.WeAreChildrens.org.
About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time through the charity’s Miracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out why children’s hospitals need community support, identify your member hospital and learn how you can Put Your Money Where the Miracles Are, at CMNHospitals.org and facebook.com/CMNHospitals.
About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company’s activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.
About “Star Wars: Rogue One”
From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is directed by Gareth Edwards and stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Riz Ahmed, with Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker. Kathleen Kennedy, Allison Shearmur and Simon Emanuel are producing, with John Knoll and Jason McGatlin serving as executive producers. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” opens in U.S. theaters on December 16, 2016.
**Disclaimer: I was compensated for attending this event. The thoughts and review of the event are my honest opinion and experiences. You can visit my disclaimer page for more information.
