Country music star Garth Brooks dedicated a new state-of-the-art playroom with a visit to Children’s Medical Center Dallas on Tuesday.
“The Big Z” was named because of its location in “The Big D” and is an interactive, therapeutic playroom with play areas for infants and school aged children. The newly renovated Child Life Zone also features a wall of Microsoft Xbox systems and a Panasonic nine-screen TV.
With support from Garth Brooks and Teammates for Kids, the zone reopened to patients in November 2016 after a remodel and renovation. It originally opened in 1996 as “Aikman’s End Zone” and led to the launch of Teammates for Kids Child Life Zone Network, which includes 11 children’s hospitals nationwide. Brooks, co-founder of the organization, said he holds high value to the hope that the zone allows patients to feel like kids.
“It’s a place in a hospital where kids get to be kids,” said Brooks. “I think one of kids’ greatest powers is the resilience that’s within them.”
Brooks was given a tour of “The Big Z” by 18-year-old patient Tate Nicholson.
“It’s great for kids to be kids because when you’re in a hospital sometimes things can feel like they are crashing down,” Nicholson said.
After the tour Brooks met privately with patients of the hospital.
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