Building on The Walt Disney Company’s $100 million commitment to help reimagine the patient experience in children’s hospitals around the world, CEO Bob Iger announced funding for the creation of a state-of-the-art, fully accessible MediCinema theater at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). The project will bring movie magic to patients, their families, and the medical staff who care for them.
Iger announced the new MediCinema initiative on Monday during a special visit to GOSH alongside two characters from Pixar’s upcoming Inside Out 2. He also surprised the young patients with the news that they would be among the first to see the brand-new film, along with children at nearly 500 hospitals around the world.
“Disney’s close relationship with the United Kingdom extends back decades, and we are particularly proud of our lasting work with London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital,” Iger said. “We hope that this new state-of-the-art MediCinema will bring moments of happiness and joy to the children and families who need it most, and we look forward to continuing to find more ways to bring the magic of Disney to life in children’s hospitals around the world.”
Disney has a long history of supporting GOSH, dating back to 1951, when Walt Disney himself first visited the hospital. Disney is also a founding partner of MediCinema, which for the past 25 years has been building cinemas equipped with space for beds, wheelchairs, and medical equipment.
In 2018, as one of the very first beneficiaries of the $100 million initiative, the hospital unveiled its new underwater-themed outdoor play area, the Disney Reef. It provides an enjoyable place for children in the hospital to spend quality time with their families. Together, Disney and GOSH Charity are also transforming the hospital’s indoor play area.
“Our staff go above and beyond to try and ensure children feel as welcome and as comfortable at GOSH as possible, and we’re delighted Disney is continuing to make our hospital that bit more special,” Matthew Shaw, Chief Executive of GOSH, said.
During the visit, Iger also spent time meeting several of the children undergoing treatment in the hospital and spoke to the hospital’s play specialists about their work and the impact that Disney’s support brings.
Disney’s commitment to uplift children facing serious illnesses has been a pillar of the company for nearly a century and continues to this day. In fact, since the $100 million commitment six years ago, the company has supported more than 1,300 hospitals worldwide.
