Monthly Archives: September 2011

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A Week To Go

With a week to go until our gaming marathon we’ve smashed last year’s total, just like the Hulk.  We’re sitting at £7929 raised plus gift aid, which is amazing. This is in part thanks to Rockstar North who once again displayed their awesomeness by donating prizes and a substantial sum.  Neil Gow is still top of our leaderboard.  The Queensferry dad has raised £988 on his own, which is just incredible.  Some of us have only just started collecting sponsorhip, so we expect the total to rise over the course of next weekend’s madness.  And its not too late to sign up either, just follow the link to the right….

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With This Controller I Thee Wed

With only two weeks to go before our videogames marathon, participant Louise Stephens Alexander has come up with a novel way of getting extra sponsorship: She has promised to undertake the full 24 hours in fancy dress!

I can’t move my thumbs!
pic copyright Roddy Mackay Photography

 “As an incentive, if I reach my targets prior to the event, I will do the event dressed in a silly and uncomfortable manner.” she tells us on her Just Giving page, “£100 – dressed as a pirate, £200 -dressed as a hula girl, £250+ – dressed as a futuristic space robot.  If I make £500, which seems unlikely, I will do the entire thing in my wedding dress (complete with veil). Rest assured that it is extremely uncomfortable.”
Dramaturge Louise has already received enough sponsorship to guarantee 24 hours dressed like a pirate, but since Louise only got married earlier this year, SKSP thinks it would be a perfect opportunity to wear an outfit that she only got a chance to wear once, and we encourage people to help her reach that £500 target!

What’s more, Louise will be playing largely on a PS2, so won’t have a network of online buddies to keep her chin up.  She plans to play some Taito legends (superqix, space invaders), Colin Mcrae rally, Guitar Hero, Singstar, GTA, tony hawk; Portal and Lego Star Wars.  SKSP believes her friends are rallying round, including lending her an Xbox and supplying her with “pizzas and moral support on the night. DELICIOUS MORAL SUPPORT “

Sponsor her here.  Follow her twitter to hear updates on her marathon.

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Superstar Neil!

Neil Gow, who has just edged into pole position on our leaderboard, has appeared in his local newspaper, The Queensferry Gazette. There is a lovely interview with Neil, including a picture with his kids, in which they are playing on a laptop with Dualshock 3 controllers!  Shareware drivers is it, Neil?

Neil’s s 22-month old son Conor, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes over the summer, so he’s had unfortunate first hand experience of the hospital we’re raising money for.  For your son, for all of us, you’re a hero!
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Checklist time

So, with Sick Kids Save Point fast approaching, how ready are you for a video games marathon in October?  Here’s a wee checklist to help you work it out:

1. Have you set up your Just Giving page?  Its very quick, just follow the link below to the right.  Remember to personalise it, people respond better to personal stories.


2. Are you following us on twitter and facebook?  You must keep everyone informed during your marathon by posting on our facebook page, tweeting using the #sksp hashtag, or if you’re live streaming or vlogging let us know the url and we’ll post them all on this site. We need to know you’re still up, and what you’re playing.


3. Have you worked out where and when you’re playing?  If you’re playing at home, does whoever you live with know the TV will be out of action for 24 hours?  If you’re playing with others have you worked out whose house?  If you’re going to Twitch Gaming, have you let them know?  Also work out what time you want to start – An early start means you’ll be going to bed in the morning and may mess up your internal clock, but an evening start means you’re looking at 36 hours or so awake!

4.  Have you asked your closest friends and family to sponsor you?  Last year most of our sponsorship came from non-gamers.  Part of the point of Sick Kids Save Point is to improve the image of our hobby, and now’s your chance to show that some good can be done by playing games.  Tell them about the charity, and why you’re doing it.  Getting sponsored isn’t as hard as you think, but you do need to ASK PEOPLE to sponsor you, otherwise it’ll all be for nothing.

Good Luck!  We can’t wait to follow the carnage online…

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Equipment provided by the Sick Kids Friends Foundation helps pioneering surgery.

After Sick Kids Save Point last year, the Sick Kids Friends Foundation purchased OR1 keyhole surgery equipment for the Hospital, and now a toddler from West Lothian is among the first in Scotland to benefit from new state-of-the-art equipment at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children.

18-month-old Rowan Crombie, who lives with her parents in Philpstoun, West Lothian, underwent major keyhole surgery at the hospital after developing a rare condition caused by a cyst close to her liver.

Thanks to the OR1 surgery system, and in a small way the gamers who raised 7k towards it last year, Edinburgh is now recognised world-wide as a leader in paediatric keyhole surgery. We helped to pay for this equipment, and Rowan’s recovery is a testament to what we’re doing here.

Mr Crombie said: “The whole experience has been incredibly tough but thankfully Rowan is recovering well.

Read more at the Sick Kids website.