There’s two parts to taking part in Sick Kids Save Point. Enduring 24 hours of gaming, and raising sponsorship. They are both tough tasks. Raising sponsorship can be a challenge when people don’t understand how difficult the marathon is, or the importance of the cause we are supporting.

Having a good avatar for your Just Giving page has become a bit of an art form at Sick Kids Save Point – it helps convince folks to sponsor you by showing either the quality of the cause you are raising for, The Sick Kids Friends Foundation, or the spirit with which you are approaching the task.

Robert Eastell, who raised £1,250 last year with a group of friends, has become a father since, and this year is using a picture of his baby as an avatar, reminding us exactly who we’re raising for.

Another success last year was Steev Douglas, who raised £581 after posting a series of hilarious avatars of himself or his kids:

At Sick Kids Save Point HQ we like the idea of gamers as heroes. None more so than our resident photographer Ross Aitken. As well as our Borderlands tribute for Cam Hall (see previous post), Ross has adopted a different hero persona every year as his avatar. First Superman, then Green Lantern:

 

We look forward to seeing some of this year’s examples! Once you’ve been sponsored once email us with your gamertag and we’ll send you a cool personalised sprite guy!