What is Extra Life?
Extra Life is a way to raise funds for MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital (MHBBCH) by playing games! Extra Life is a Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN) program, and unites thousands of gamers around the world to play games and help kids at local CMN Hospitals. MHBBCH is your local CMN Hospital. You can Extra Life for MHBBCH by playing board games, video games, outdoor games, or whatever you like to play. Play on your own schedule (any day or time), and/or participate in an Extra Life event.
It's easy to get started:
- Register
- Commit to playing games to help kids at MHBBCH
- Ask your friends and family to support your fundraising efforts
Extra Lifers are heroes
MHBBCH sees more than 100,000 patient visits each year; your Extra Life gaming can make a life-changing impact! Funds raised through Extra Life support equipment, programs, research, education and care. Check out and share these videos to “meet” some of our patients and learn about how donations (like the funds raised by Extra Lifers) have made a difference at MHBBCH:
- Meet some of our champion patients: McKenzie, Kenzie, Jacob and Emily!
- Check out our 30th anniversary video to “visit” different parts of the hospital and hear how your Extra Lifing and donations make a difference!
- Watch our friend Brayden demonstrate the MRI entertainment system. Donations were used to purchase two MRI entertainment systems for MHBBCH - providing comfort and distraction for kids undergoing MRI’s.
- Evan was treated with therapeutic hypothermia at birth, and his mom tells the incredible story. MHBBCH purchased innovative therapeutic hypothermia equipment thanks to community donations like those from Extra Life.
Register now
Sign up at Extra-Life.org, and in just a few minutes you’ll have your own personalized Extra Life page ready to share. Don’t forget to choose to play in support of MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital! 100% of the funds you raise will stay local and help kids cared for at MHBBCH.
Get your business involved
You can participate in Extra Life as an individual, but it’s also a great way to engage your team at work:
- Recruit and Promote: Host an Extra Life recruitment event or share information about Extra Life with your employees and customers.
- Play: Form a company Extra Life team. You might play some virtual trivia, offer a monthly board game afternoon in the break room, host a customer BBQ with lawn games, or include employees who game in their free time.
- Sponsor: Become a business sponsor of the Extra Life program at MHBBCH. Contact Meaghan for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anything! Board games, video games, card games, lawn games, trivia, party games … any and all of the above. Play in-person or online using Zoom or a gaming platform.
100% of the funds raised by the awesome Extra Lifers who game for MHBBCH stay local and directly benefit MHBBCH. Since 2012, Extra Life players have raised over $711,000!
In addition, a number of Extra Lifers have each personally raised more than $10,000 for MHBBCH! Check out our MHBBCH Extra Life Wall of Fame!
Sure do! Our Extra Lifers are so good at putting the “FUN” in fundraising.
- Check out this blog post for best practices and creative ideas.
- Find the answers to even more FAQs here.
Extra Life Questions?
Contact Meaghan McNamara, MHBBCH Philanthropy Specialist, Extra Life
Join the MHBBCH Extra Life community on Facebook or Discord to learn about donations in action, read patient stories and stay up-to-date on local Extra Life events.