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65,000 Gamers Play for Local Children’s Hospitals on Extra Life Game Day, Nov. 5

momentum16-7519541SALT LAKE CITY (October 19, 2016) — Gamers of all levels and from all categories — console, mobile, PC, table-top, etc. — are uniting for one cause on Saturday, November 5: to save and improve the lives of local kids. Extra Life, a Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals) fundraising program, helps participants use their love of gaming to impact pediatric patients in their own community.

Participants sign up for the 24-hour gaming marathon and invite friends, family and fans to donate to his or her local CMN Hospital. Last year’s event raised more than $1 million on Game Day, contributing to the year’s total of $8.3 million. Since its inception in 2008, Extra Life has raised more than $22 million for 170 member hospitals across North America. The secure donations fund the selected hospital’s greatest needs, often including pediatric medical equipment, research, therapy programs and charitable care.

“Extra Life introduced us to a new audience that continues to astound us with their passion for giving back,” said John Lauck, president and CEO of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. “As our fastest growing program, Extra Life is making a big impact on children’s hospitals, and individual gamers are making countless miracles happen for local kids and families.”

Extra Life partners with some of the largest names in the gaming industry, including Twitch, Rooster Teeth, reddit, Wizards of the Coast, Humble Bundle, ESA Foundation, XSplit and Trion Worlds.

While anyone can participate, many expert gamers and broadcasters live-stream their play and earn donations from followers. In 2015, more than $1 million was raised solely through Twitch, CMN Hospitals’ premier partner.

“Twitch has a large socially conscious community, with charity campaigns happening on our platform daily,” said Andrew Schroeder, charity events manager, Twitch. “Among the largest charity initiatives of the year is Extra Life’s Game Day. We support Extra Life because of its impact on local communities, especially knowing that all funds raised directly benefit kids at the local CMN Hospitals where many of our streamers work and live.”

Interested participants can register at Extra-Life.org, select their local or preferred CMN Hospital, set a fundraising goal and collect donations throughout the year for kids in need. Game Day is Nov. 5, but participants may complete their 24 hours of play however they like — all in one day, one hour a day for 24 days, etc. Participants are also eligible to unlock a $30,000 prize for their member hospital. Find details at www.extra-life.org/challenge. Learn more about the local CMN Hospital and how donations are saving kids’ lives at CMNHospitals.org.

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About Extra Life
Extra Life is a Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals fundraising program within the gaming community. Participants fundraise year-round and pledge to game for 24 hours with one goal: to save and improve the lives of sick and injured kids. Funds raised stay local to help pediatric patients at 170 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across North America. Since 2008, Extra Life has raised more than $22 million for member hospitals. The movement, formed by gamers bonded by passion, is committed to saving and improving the lives of local kids. Play games, heal kids and join the community today at www.extra-life.org.

About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time through the charity’s Miracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out why children’s hospitals need community support, identify your member hospital and learn how you can Put Your Money Where the Miracles Are, at CMNHospitals.org and facebook.com/CMNHospitals.