Inaugural Extra Life: Unlocked event and Game Day raises $2.8 million for children’s hospitals across the U.S. and Canada
SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals) hosted its inaugural Extra Life: Unlocked on Saturday, November 8, transforming its national headquarters in downtown Salt Lake City into a live, interactive celebration of gaming and community, all to raise money for children’s healthcare.
CMN Hospitals President & CEO Aimee J. Daily, Ph.D. with CMN Hospital Champions
The brand-new event served as the official kickoff to Extra Life Game Day (Nov 8-16), combining a five-hour live stream with immersive, in-person experiences. Gamers, creators, partners, hospital teams, and patient families came together to raise funds and awareness for children’s hospitals across the U.S. and Canada, proving that play truly has the power to change kids’ health.
Together, Extra Life: Unlocked and Game Day raised more than $2.8 million, contributing to an impressive year-to-date grand total of $10.5 million for the Extra Life program—showing the incredible power of community, gaming, and generosity to change kids’ health.
“Extra Life: Unlocked is more than just a new event—it’s a powerful new way to connect gamers directly to the mission of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals,” said Aimee J. Daily, Ph.D., President & CEO of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. “By blending gaming, storytelling, and community, we’re showing how creativity and compassion can come together to make a tangible difference for kids.”
Throughout the day, attendees engaged in a variety of interactive activations, including:
Champion Quests hosted by CMN Hospitals National Champions
Game Show Battle Rooms , where fundraising partners competed live on set
Sharkey’s Cuts for Kids activation featuring gaming-inspired hair color and face paint
Tattoo Station, where attendees celebrated their milestones with Extra Life tattoos
Extra Lifers achieved a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® title for the Longest Line of Toy Money, with some bills representing donations that helped raise more than $12,000 for local children’s hospitals. The final count reached 1,072 pieces, a number chosen to honor the 72 children who enter a member children’s hospital every minute. The attempt was verified on-site by an official GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS® adjudicator and made possible thanks to Hasbro, which donated all the toy money featured as donations unlocked throughout the day.
Local 2025 Salt Lake City Champion Kendalyn, a patient at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, shared her story alongside her service dog, Reggie—highlighting the expressive therapies that help her thrive thanks to donations made through CMN Hospitals.
Kendalyn was joined by several National Champions from across the U.S. including Melody from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, siblings Braylen and Rylee from Corewell Health Children’s, Landon from Rady Children’s Hospital and also in attendance was the Enmon family, whose daughter from Orange, Texas, inspired the founding of Extra Life. Each family shared their own experiences on how gaming therapy played a meaningful role in their journeys.
The event featured appearances by gaming influencers Jack Pattillo (Rooster Teeth / Achievement Hunter), Guude (Mindcrack), MeganPlays, and Seum who participated in challenges, interacted with fans, and helped raise awareness for the cause. Representatives from gaming partners like Wizards of the Coast (Magic: the Gathering and D&D), ArenaNet (Guild Wars 2), and Hive (Minecraft), were also on-site and featured at the event.
“Extra Life: Unlocked was truly a celebration of everything that makes this community special: passion, creativity, and heart,” said Jeff Montegut, Director of Extra Life at CMN Hospitals. “Gamers don’t just play for fun; we play for impact. Seeing players, partners, and patient families come together under one roof to change kids’ health was nothing short of inspiring.”
Extra Life: Unlocked also offered attendees a first look at CMN Hospitals’ upcoming brand evolution, launching publicly in January 2026, which will further unify and amplify programs like Extra Life under one shared mission.
Since its founding, Extra Life has raised more than $132 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the U.S. and Canada—funds that ensure children receive the best care possible, no matter where they live or their family’s ability to pay.
Even though Game Day has come to a close, it’s not too late to make an impact. Gamers, streamers, and supporters can still join the movement and raise funds for their local children’s hospital through the end of the year. Start your fundraiser today, rally your community, and keep gaming for good at extra-life.org.
Fans can also keep the excitement going by bidding on exclusive auction items—including signed memorabilia and gaming gear—at this link, with all proceeds benefiting CMN Hospitals.
About Extra Life Extra Life unites thousands of gamers around the world to play games in support of their local children’s hospital through Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Since its inception, Extra Life has raised $132 million for member hospitals to support kids and their families. Extra Life is a fundraising program of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The Extra Life community fundraises year-round to change kids’ health to change the future. Donations go to local member hospitals to fund critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, along with innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, and child life services.
About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals: Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals was founded more than 40 years ago with the vision to Change Kids’ Health, Change the Future. We’ve raised over $9 billion for 170 children’s hospitals by empowering and engaging with local communities and businesses – and we’re not done yet. All donations benefit local member hospitals to fund what’s needed most, like critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, child life services that put kids’ and families’ minds at ease during difficult hospital stays, and financial assistance for families who could not otherwise afford these health services.
Together, we can change kids’ health. Together, we can change the future. To learn about Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and your local member children’s hospital, visit cmnhospitals.org.
Guinness World Records title for the Longest Line of Toy Money
CMN Hospital Executives Andrew Sjoblom, Kristen Schavemaker, Frances Fu and Aimee J. Daily, Ph.D. (top left to right) and the ELU LiveStream Hosts Jack Pattillo, Haughtsauce and T4c0 (bottom left to right)
Extra Life logo (PRNewsfoto/Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals)
