As the year rolls to another end, we would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who continues to support the Push the Button Initiative with special mention to among others:

• Tarsier Studios
• Stardoll
• PanVision
• Barncancerföreningen

The onset of spring sees us undertake our biggest collection and distribution ever. We shall be distributing games and other related merchandize to health institutions across the country. As always, a huge thanks goes to all our contributors, most notably, PAN Vicion and Namco Bandai.

You can read our press release here.

With the build up under way ahead of a fresh round of collections, we have finally released a brief summary of our activities in 2011.

It’s worth noting that whilst games and related items were distributed in 2011, the core of the report is based on activities from November – December 2011.

The report can be viewed here!

I’ll begin this entry by once again giving a big thank you to all those who through some contribution or another helped to make the Push the Button Initiative a reality – Thank you!

Whilst it would be cliched to say the whole experience has had a profound effect on Josefin and I, finding the right words to best articulate this whole experience is proving a challenge on its own. However I’ll do my best to give some insight into the distribution of some of the games and merchandise we received from some of our many partners.

On Monday the 12th of December, a large consignment of merchandise was sent by courier to Barncancerföreningen. This package consisting of shirts, games and an assortment of various goodies would be distributed by the association to health institutions in the Stockholm region (most notably Huddinge hospital).

My colleague Josefin headed off to Uppsala, where with Swedish Radio in tow handed out more donations to patients at Uppsala hospital. You can listen to her exploits here.
I made my way to Astrid Lindgren hospital in Solna. A trip made poignant by the fact it was my first visit here since 2001. You see my son, Leo spent a considerable amount of time being treated for a growth he had on his left leg. It would later turn out to be a sort of benign tumor known as Hemangiom .

I was warmly received at the hospital’s entrance by Monica Wessman (Chairperson at Barncancerförening) who led me up to the building’s cancer ward. As the doors swing open I am hit by an explosion of color and deliciously enticing smells. The ward was being prepped for a julbord which featured a wide array of dishes and snacks synonymous with the season. The walls were brightly colored and donned with signed football jerseys from clubs in and around the Stockholm area.

After brief introductions were made to the handful of volunteers and staff on hand, I set about laying out the gifts I came with and waited for the kids and their families to come out from their respective rooms.

Once they did arrive and introductions were made, the next few hours were spent voicing our shared appreciating for gaming. Clara, an 11 year old was particularly delighted to get her hands on a couple of expansion packs for The Sims 3, which she adored. As was the case with most of the kids and parents there, there was initially some skepticism as to the validity of what was being presented to them. Can I really have this game without having to pay for it? No bills will be sent later? Being a couple of questions I faced on several occasions. These were however quickly followed by proclamations of gratitude from both parents and kids.

Whilst I might have a hard time expressing the significance of what we do, a parent summed it up perfectly.

“I think it’s great that the games industry has decided to offer games directly to the patients. Whilst money is always needed for research, the kids and patients at the hospitals rarely get to see the end result of any such contributions. The games give them something they all love and enjoy! Right now! Something financial contributions sometimes fail to do. “

With that concise appraisal, I’ll end this post, but would like to say what we as gamers and within the gaming community simply see as a pastime has far a much deeper meaning for those we aim to reach and can only hope we sustain that level of commitment.
Once again thank you to all our supporters and season’s greetings!

With just over a week before we begin the delivery of games to hospitals in Huddinge, Solna and many others we welcome generous contributions from PEGI, Filimundus, Nordic Game Supply and Avalanche. Welcome on board and thank you.

With a welcoming smile and a plethora of games, the good folks at Paradox Interactive exceeded all our expectations by presenting us with multiple boxes of games to choose from. A big thank you to Fredrik Wester, Linda Kiby, Susana Meza and the rest of the team at Paradox Interactive.

Push the Button made a quick pit stop at the offices of PAN Vision to meet one of our staunchest supporters as well as to pick up a plethora of games, shirts and other gaming memorabilia. A big thanks to Martin Lindell and the rest of the company.

Another year of Gamex comes to an end, but being at the event gave us a chance to meet with some of our supporters as well as educate prospective partners of the merits of our initiative. Over the coming weeks we will be embarking on collections and have a lot of swag to go through. Thanks to all who have contributed so far.

As gamers ourselves the first day was a wonderful opportunity to meet those who have pledged support to the initiative as well as get to try out some of our favorite and eagerly anticipated games.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive we can’t wait till next week when we expect to get our hands on several boxes of games and merchandise for distribution.

A bag load of swag from the good folks at DICE and Easy Studios just arrived with shirts, games and vouchers that is sure to make a load of kids very happy. Great work guys.