# THE POWER OF PINBALL

**Source:** Pinball News Website  
**Type:** article  
**Published:** 2017-08-09  
**Beat:** Pinball

**URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2017/08/09/the-power-of-pinball

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## Analysis

UK pinball owner Erdinch Degirmenciogl donated a Star Trek pinball machine to the Young Oncology Unit at Christie Hospital in Manchester, partnering with the Teenage Cancer Trust. The article highlights how pinball machines serve as therapeutic and recuperative aids for hospitalized children in both the UK and US, with organizations like the Pinball Outreach Project and Project Pinball facilitating placements. Hospital staff and charity coordinators report significant benefits including engagement, family bonding, physical activity, and psychological relief for young patients undergoing treatment.

### Key Claims

- [HIGH] The Star Trek pinball at Christie Hospital is the first such case of pinball helping with treatment and recovery for youngsters in the UK — _Article states: 'This is probably the first such case of pinball helping with the treatment and recovery for youngsters in the UK'_
- [HIGH] Pinball machines at Randall Children's Hospital in Portland, Oregon operated for almost a year before the 'Friday Night Lights' program was implemented — _Nicole Anne Reik-Dunlap quote: 'We had two games at the hospital for almost a year and I came up with an idea for a program called Friday Night Lights'_
- [HIGH] Pinball provides intergenerational bonding opportunities that video games do not, particularly for parents reliving their childhood — _Multiple sources cite parent-child bonding and parents having opportunity to engage with something from their generation, contrasted with video game consoles_
- [HIGH] Northern Lights Pinball supplies and runs the pinball element at the Play Expo show in Manchester and has previously worked with the Teenage Cancer Trust — _Article states: 'Northern Lights Pinball who supply and run the pinball element at the Play Expo show in Manchester each year. They have worked with the Teenage Cancer Trust in previous promotions'_

### Notable Quotes

> "It is already getting lots of use and everyone seems to love it! It's another opportunity for young people to get involved in something when they are here having their treatment – this is invaluable as it stops boredom and low mood and ultimately aids young people through their treatment."
> — **Lorraine Wright, Teenage Cancer Trust Youth Support Coordinator at Christie Ward**
> _Directly validates therapeutic impact of pinball on young cancer patients in UK hospital setting_

> "We recognised that something with a competitive edge generally gets their interest and David (another member of my team) suggested a pinball machine."
> — **Lorraine Wright, Teenage Cancer Trust Youth Support Coordinator**
> _Explains clinical reasoning for selecting pinball specifically for engagement of young male patients_

> "On Friday nights I would go around to the rooms inviting patients and their families to play pinball with me. A lot of the parents were excited for an opportunity to have someone engage with their child as most of them have been staying in the hospital for long periods of time."
> — **Nicole Anne Reik-Dunlap, Founder and Executive Director of Pinball Outreach Project**
> _Details structured pinball program implementation and therapeutic design in US hospital context_

> "Pinball provides a great opportunity for our patients and siblings, especially our older kids and teens, to engage in developmentally appropriate play, get out of their rooms and interact with peers, and forget about being 'sick' for a small amount of time."
> — **Jessica Thompson, Child Life Specialist at Randall Children's Hospital**
> _Clinical assessment from hospital specialist on developmental and psychological benefits of pinball_

> "There's also a great physical component that allows patients to get up and out of their beds for a while. It's a motivator for them."
> — **Nicole Anne Reik-Dunlap, Pinball Outreach Project**
> _Highlights physical rehabilitation component of pinball therapy_

> "The pinball machines provided a much needed diversionary for our patients and their siblings, and allowed the parents to relive their own childhoods"
> — **Lori Mathios, Rady's Children's Hospital in San Diego, California**
> _Validates therapeutic value in different geographic/institutional context_

> "parent's having the opportunity to bond with their kids over something from their generation, something they can't do with the video game consoles that you see at every hospital game room."
> — **Nicole Anne Reik-Dunlap, Pinball Outreach Project**
> _Contrasts pinball's unique intergenerational appeal with conventional video game distractions_

### Entities

| Name | Type | Context |
|------|------|---------|
| Erdinch Degirmenciogl | person | UK pinball owner who donated Star Trek pinball to Christie Hospital's Young Oncology Unit |
| Pinball Mill | company | UK pinball business operated by Erdinch Degirmenciogl |
| Christie Hospital | organization | Hospital in Manchester, UK housing Young Oncology Unit that received Star Trek pinball donation |
| Young Oncology Unit | organization | Unit at Christie Hospital in Manchester dedicated to teenage cancer patients |
| Teenage Cancer Trust | organization | UK charity running the Young Oncology Unit at Christie Hospital; works with Northern Lights Pinball at Play Expo Manchester |
| Northern Lights Pinball | company | Pinball supplier that runs pinball operations at Play Expo Manchester; has chosen Teenage Cancer Trust as their charity partner |
| Play Expo | event | Annual show in Manchester where Northern Lights Pinball operates pinball games and connects with Teenage Cancer Trust |
| Lorraine Wright | person | Teenage Cancer Trust Youth Support Coordinator at Christie Ward; advocated for pinball machine installation |
| Pinball Outreach Project | organization | US-based charity that places pinball machines in hospitals and facilitates therapeutic programs |
| Nicole Anne Reik-Dunlap | person | Founder and Executive Director of Pinball Outreach Project; volunteer at Randall Children's Hospital Portland, Oregon |
| Randall Children's Hospital | organization | Hospital in Portland, Oregon where Pinball Outreach Project placed two pinball games; hosts 'Friday Night Lights' program |
| Project Pinball | organization | US-based charity mentioned as working with hospitals to leverage pinball as therapeutic aid |
| Jessica Thompson | person | Child Life Specialist at Randall Children's Hospital; provided professional assessment of pinball benefits |
| Rady's Children's Hospital | organization | Hospital in San Diego, California benefiting from Pinball Outreach Project placements |
| Lori Mathios | person | Staff member at Rady's Children's Hospital in San Diego; commented on pinball therapeutic value |
| CHOC Children's Hospital | organization | Hospital in Orange, California with pinball program supported by Pinball Outreach Project |
| Amber Chavez | person | Staff member in Cherese Mari Laulhere Child Life Department at CHOC Children's Hospital |
| Star Trek | game | Pinball machine donated to Christie Hospital Young Oncology Unit |

### Topics

- **Primary:** Therapeutic applications of pinball in hospital settings, Charity partnerships and pinball donations, Pinball Outreach Project operations in US hospitals
- **Secondary:** Intergenerational bonding through pinball, Physical and psychological benefits for young patients, Pinball industry community engagement

### Sentiment

**Positive** (0.95) — Consistently positive article celebrating therapeutic impact of pinball machines on hospitalized children. Multiple hospital staff and charity leaders provide enthusiastic endorsements. No criticism or negative viewpoints presented.

### Signals

- **[community_signal]** Pinball community supporting healthcare outcomes through organized charity partnerships; Pinball Outreach Project and Project Pinball demonstrate institutional commitment to therapeutic applications (confidence: high) — Multiple US hospitals (Randall, Rady's, CHOC) receiving pinball placements through organized charity; UK expansion with Teenage Cancer Trust partnership representing growth of model
- **[sentiment_shift]** Strong positive sentiment around pinball's social value and therapeutic applications; healthcare professionals validating pinball as legitimate treatment/recovery aid (confidence: high) — Multiple clinical staff (Child Life Specialists, Youth Support Coordinators) providing detailed assessments of benefits; characterization as 'invaluable' and 'fabulous' by hospital personnel

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## Transcript

**It’s far from a new phenomenon, but pinball has shown how it can really play a significant role in aiding the recovery and treatment of hospital patients, and in particular youngsters.**

Just recently, UK pinball owner Erdinch Degirmenciogl of the [Pinball Mill](https://www.facebook.com/pinballmill) was able to supply a Star Trek pinball to the Young Oncology Unit at Christie Hospital in Manchester.

[![The Star Trek at The Christie Hospital](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/comment/the-power-of-pinball/001-star-trek-tct-hires.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/comment/the-power-of-pinball/001-star-trek-tct-hires.jpg)

The Star Trek at The Christie Hospital

The Unit is run by the Teenage Cancer Trust, the chosen charity of Northern Lights Pinball who supply and run the pinball element at the Play Expo show in Manchester each year.  They have worked with the Teenage Cancer Trust in previous promotions, and at the last Play Expo show the charity asked about getting a pinball into their dedicated hospital unit.

[![The Young Oncology Unit](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/comment/the-power-of-pinball/003-star-trek-tct-hires.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/comment/the-power-of-pinball/003-star-trek-tct-hires.jpg)

The Young Oncology Unit

Lorraine Wright, the Teenage Cancer Trust Youth Support Coordinator at the Christie Ward, told Pinball News how they were looking for something to engage the young male patients and give then something new to occupy their mind during their hospital stay.

She said, “*We recognised that something with a competitive edge generally gets their interest and David (another member of my team) suggested a pinball machine. The machine is fabulous.  It is already getting lots of use and everyone seems to love it!  It’s another opportunity for young people to get involved in something when they are here having their treatment – this is invaluable as it stops boredom and low mood and ultimately aids young people through their treatment.*”

[![The Star Trek in the Young Oncology Unit](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/comment/the-power-of-pinball/002-star-trek-tct-hires.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/comment/the-power-of-pinball/002-star-trek-tct-hires.jpg)

The Star Trek in the Young Oncology Unit

This is probably the first such case of pinball helping with the treatment and recovery for youngsters in the UK, but it’s a well-known aid in the US where charities such as the Pinball Outreach Project and Project Pinball as well as several individuals and pinball suppliers work closely with hospitals and support groups to leverage pinball as a therapeutic and recuperative aid.

Nicole Anne Reik-Dunlap is the founder and Executive Director of the [Pinball Outreach Project](http://pinballoutreach.org/) and is a volunteer at Randall Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon.  She told Pinball News how she introduced pinball into the lives of patients at the Hospital and the effect it had on them.

She said, “*We had two games at the hospital for almost a year and I came up with an idea for a program called Friday Night Lights. On Friday nights I would go around to the rooms inviting patients and their families to play pinball with me. A lot of the parents were excited for an opportunity to have someone engage with their child as most of them have been staying in the hospital for long periods of time.  There’s also a great physical component that allows patients to get up and out of their beds for a while. It’s a motivator for them.*“

Playing pinball with their children has brought further benefits beyond the purely therapeutic ones.  Nicole explained how she has seen “*…parent’s having the opportunity to bond with their kids over something from their generation, something they can’t do with the video game consoles that John Youssi at every hospital game room.*”

The remedial effects are easily seen as Jessica Thompson, Child Life Specialist at Randall confirmed.  She said, “*Pinball provides a great opportunity for our patients and siblings, especially our older kids and teens, to engage in developmentally appropriate play, get out of their rooms and interact with peers, and forget about being ‘sick’ for a small amount of time.*”

Lori Mathios from Rady’s Children’s Hospital in San Diego, California, is another beneficiary of the Pinball Outreach Project’s work.  She also expressed how pinball helps both the children and their parents at such a difficult time.  “*The pinball machines provided a much needed diversionary for our patients and their siblings, and allowed the parents to relive their own childhoods*”, she said.

So if you have a pinball you could spare and maintain, you too could change the lives of countless children at a local hospital or therapy centre.  Pinball is all about having fun, and who needs fun more than children going through such an incredibly tough time?

After all, as Amber Chavez from the Cherese Mari Laulhere Child Life Department at CHOC Children’s Hospital in Orange, California explained, “*Patients are able to take their minds off of being in the hospital and enjoy some quality time with their families. Thank you for making that possible and brightening up their day.*”

_(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_

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*Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: e4418751-2b01-4ccf-b75c-b2c2724b3d96*