Patients and Doctors Who Play Together – Succeed Together

Hundreds of people attended the 2nd Annual WiiHAB Championship, a fundraiser benefiting the MemorialCare Rehabilitation Institute at Long Beach Memorial. The event helped to raise funds for new equipment and improvement of the facilities within the Institute. The concept of the event stemmed from the use of the Nintendo Wii® system as a tool for rehabilitation in occupational therapy and physical therapy for patients who have had a catastrophic injury or a disabling disease. The WiiHAB Championship event features five teams; led by Long Beach Memorial physicians and community member from Long Beach, who faced off to compete for the gold in Wii bowling, golf and tennis. The teams were competitively fundraising through online fundraising pages leading up to the event. More than $135,000 was raised exceeding last year’s amount and this year’s goal. Kent French, announcer from the Anaheim Ducks, lent his support by emceeing the event and pumping up the crowd. A new feature to this year’s festivities was a live web stream of all the action. Team Adams took home the award for “Top Fundraiser” and Team Knabe, led by Los Angeles County Fourth District Supervisor, Don Knabe, won the gold for finishing first place in the Wii Sports challenges. All teams played their best and competed extremely well. “Rehabilitative therapy is something that is very important to me,” says Supervisor Don Knabe. “I believe that incorporating technology and fun into a patient’s rehabilitation therapy is beneficial physically and emotionally.”