Gridiron Gaming Pittsburgh- 9/20/10

Steelers players teamed up with UPMC to play virtual video games in the East Club Lounge of Heinz Field for the second annual Gridiron Gaming fundraiser, which raised more than $100,000 for UPMC Rehabilitation Institute and the Amputee Walking School. The event, hosted by Rehabilitation Institute physician Dr. Tiffany Calloway and her husband, Steelers left-tackle, Max Starks, featured virtual video games used to help patients at UPMC, recovering from stroke, spinal cord injury, brain injury, or other illness, regain their independence. “It was a unique opportunity for the public to interact with Steelers players and to play Nintendo Wii, which is used in stroke patient rehabilitation,” says Stacy Simon, manager of UPMC media relations. In addition to the fun of playing virtual video games with football stars, 250 guests were able to support the Rehabilitation Institute’s disability programming and use cutting-edge rehabilitative technology. “These devices aren’t available to the public, but they had the opportunity to use them,” Simon says.

Photography by Megan Wylie Ruffing