Helping Kids with Extra Life

Laura Andrews couldn’t help but get sucked into Extra Life. Her love of gaming influenced her decision to name her daughters Zelda, and Alleria, from World of Warcraft.

At the time of her recruitment from a friend and Kansas City Extra Life guild member, Lora, Andrews was working with her local hospitals on helping Alleria, who was born with three holes in heart.

“Other than the fact that she wouldn’t sleep, she seemed just like a normal baby for the first couple weeks,” says Andrews. “It got worse, she started screaming and suffered weight loss. She was failing to thrive. Four weeks after she was born the doctors knew this was a problem. I won’t lie for a while I couldn’t take pictures. I didn’t want to remember how thin she was. Her chest would sink in as she was breathing, she had to be at an incline to sleep, and she cried non-stop.”

Devastated, Andrews sought treatment from her local children’s hospital who helped guide her to help Alleria gain weight in preparation for the best possible procedure.

“I can’t imagine what my life would be like without the people and the doctors who supported me during this time. So when I learned of Extra Life I needed to be a part of this. My child might not have been seen at a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital but that does not matter. What matters is giving back so that the love and care that my family got will reach those families who need it. I am part of the Kansas City Guild and I play for children just like mine at KU Pediatrics.”

Extra Life is a Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals fundraising program within the gaming community. Over 50,000 Twitch content creators and casual gamers unite yearly to join the charity gaming event. More than $30 million has been raised since 2008 through Extra Life. Funds have stayed local to benefit the local CMN Hospital in each individual gamers community.