Children will soon CLICK together at the IWK Health Care Centre in Halifax with help from Microsoft Canada
Children's interactive technology program to provide wireless access & bedside connectivity for young patients while in hospital
Halifax, Nova Scotia - November 16, 2007 - Microsoft Canada Co., together with the Children's Miracle Network (CMN) and the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, today announced an initiative to establish a Child Life Interactive Computers for Kids (CLICK) program. The CLICK program will provide consoles and games for Xbox® video game system, connectivity, hardware and software to children in the hospital and create an environment that will enable them to connect with school, family, and friends during frequent or lengthy periods of hospitalization.
"We are delighted that Microsoft has initiated the CLICK program with the IWK," says Anne McGuire, CEO for the IWK Health Centre. "Children and youth of today have come to rely on technology to communicate to family and friends, for entertainment and educational purposes. The CLICK program will further improve the experience our patients have while at the Health Centre."
The IWK Health Centre in Halifax will be the third CMN affiliated hospital to establish a CLICK program in Canada. Microsoft Canada and the CMN launched CLICK in May 2005 at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa, followed by the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire du Québec (CHUQ) in Québec City in August 2007.
Once deployed, the Child Life Interactive Computers for Kids (CLICK) program at the IWK Health Centre will include:
| • | Hardware and software (laptops, PCs, Tablet PCs, web cameras and Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system) |
| • | consoles and games for Xbox appropriate for various age groups |
| • | Technical support |
| • | Internet connectivity |
| • | Furniture (desks and chairs) |
| • | Employee support |
"Microsoft is very excited about working with the IWK Health Centre," said Gavin Thompson, Director, Community Affairs, Microsoft Canada. "Microsoft, in connection with other Children’s Hospitals such as CHEO and CHUQ have seen the benefit of the CLICK program in helping children who are hospitalized frequently or for lengthy periods maintain the closest thing to normalcy as possible by integrating technology into the hospital that will help them stay connected easily with the outside world."
About IWK Health Centre
The IWK Health Centre provides quality care to women, children and youth of the Maritimes and beyond. In addition to tertiary (highly-specialized) care, the IWK also provides primary care services. The IWK is engaged in leading-edge research, the promotion of healthy families and the education of health professionals and other learners. It is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
About Microsoft Canada
Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Co. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ "MSFT") the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga, Microsoft Canada has 10 regional offices across the country dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. Visit Microsoft Canada's web site at www.microsoft.ca.
