Ryan Seacrest to build music studio in new Children's Hospital facility
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Seacrest Studios will be part of Walker's Imaginarium, a new facility at Children's Hospital New Orleans. Image: Courtesy of Children's Hospital New Orleans
Children's Hospital New Orleans will break ground this year on a "wonderland" for its patients that will include an entertainment studio from the Ryan Seacrest Foundation.
Why it matters: An extended hospital stay is hard on anyone, but children who have access to safe ways to be creative and play often have better health outcomes, says Rene Guilbeau, the director of child life and creative therapies at Children's Hospital New Orleans.
Zoom in: Only 14 of the nation's 220 children's hospitals have one of Seacrest's studios, said hospital CEO and president Lucio A. Fragoso in a press conference Thursday.
- The studio will be part of Walker's Imaginarium, "a first-of-its kind child enrichment center," Fragoso said, dedicated to offering kids a therapeutic space to have fun while receiving care.
- At 15,000 square feet, it'll include a mini-golf course shaped like Louisiana, a Jazz Fest stage to host musicians, a Mardi Gras float where kids can toss beads and a staircase made of sequins.
What he said: "New Orleans is one of the best culture and music cities in the country, and I cannot think of a better place to bring joy to patients through our foundation," Seacrest said in a press release.
Walker's Imaginarium is being built in partnership with Kids Join the Fight, a nonprofit founded by a New Orleans family in memory of 7-year-old Walker Beery, who was diagnosed with pediatric brain cancer.
What's next: Children's Hospital will break ground on Walker's Imaginarium later this year with plans to open in 2026.
