In the U.S., more than 5 million kids stay in the hospital every year. Hospitalization for children means leaving their home and an interruption of their daily activities and routines. Researchers have found that hospital wards are often associated with pain, uncertainty, and loss of control and safeness, especially for elementary school children. These experiences can affect children’s physical growth, personality, or emotional development. According to the National Institutes of Health, during hospitalization, play is proven to be of high therapeutic value, contributing to physical and emotional well-being and recovery. Play can help a kid heal.
Our goal was to bring the therapeutic power of play to as many kids in as many hospitals as possible. In the first phase of Project Courage, we created the Honda Shogo, an electric kid-sized car made especially for young patients that let them experience the joy of driving through the hospital. The vehicle was designed and built by Honda Racing engineers collaborating with health professionals and is designed for patients 4 through 9 years old. The Honda Shogo was built to accommodate children with IVs, ventilators, and mobility challenges of all kinds. Our aim for Project Courage 2.0 was to expand the reach of our initiative and bring our next-generation Honda Shogo to more hospitals across the country and across the world.
For Project Courage 2.0, the challenge was to bring the Honda Shogo to as many kids as possible in hospitals across the country. To locate hospitals in need of play-based therapeutic treatments, we tapped into the network of Honda dealers. Using their dealer associations, Honda dealers nominated local children's hospitals. We then deployed the new Honda Shogo models, funded by the dealerships. This system brought together local dealers with their local hospitals with the goal of helping kids. As momentum built, more dealers eagerly joined the effort and the program expanded to Canada and Japan making this a multi-national initiative.
Project Courage 2.0 has brought the Honda Shogo to 60 hospitals with plans to roll out more vehicles in the coming years. Since the Shogo’s arrival at its first hospital, medical professionals have seen dramatic results from its use. As one head of pediatrics said, “You can really see the impact that the Honda Shogo has made on a patient when you speak to them after a ride. They have more energy and excitement. It is a great tool to help engage patients and get them back to full health.” And the Shogo not only brings joy to its riders, but also to the families who have to watch their kids suffer in the hospital. A grandparent echoes how the joy is not limited to the patients riding the Shogo. “I’m so happy to see him happy,” she says. Another pediatrician reflects on the effect on the parents of patients — “It’s a relief when a parent can see a child smile.” That’s a lot of rides for a lot of kids. That’s The Power of Dreams changing lives.
