Entertainment

Dream Big Studio brings hope and inspirations to patients UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh’s

Lights, camera, action!

UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh transformed part of the hospital to a state-of-the art broadcast Thursday with the grand opening of “Dream Big Studio.”

The new facility provides patients with the opportunity to do just as the name states -- “Dream Big” -- by creating their very own content and escape from harder times.

“I think the name Dream Big really encompasses what this space is," said Riley Hammond, child life specialist coordinator of Dream Big Studio. “It is a space to provide an open opportunity and creative outlet for kids to be able to heal in a different way that is not with medicine. They are able to experience joy and excitement and play all while potentially learning something new of radio and TV production.”

Live television and radio shows are created, produced and hosted by UPMC Children’s patients to be aired on televisions throughout the hospital, and to make things even sweeter, there is a way for everyone to get involved -- even if they can’t leave their rooms.

Hammond says that when the hospital hosts events in the atrium and other spaces, they only reach 5 or 10 percent of kids who are there, but now, Dream Big Studio will be at the events to be broadcast on televisions throughout the hospital to give kids and families a way to engage.

“This is such a positive, memorable experience for kids and just a joyful time for kids. They are coming from their hospital room wishing they weren’t in the hospital, they didn’t have to be here, perhaps thinking they have exhausted all measures of fun, and we have this new opportunity where kids can come and really explore and of course fulfill some dreams,” Hammond concluded.

Dream Big Studio was funded entirely by philanthropy of the Rossin Foundation.