# Virtual Pet Installations Hospital Brings Felines to Cancer Patient for 'Cat Immersion Project' By Katherinev123 | Published 2012-08-08 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cat-immersion-project References: [wired](http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-08/07/cat-immersion-project) & [facebook](https://www.facebook.com/seattlechildrens) The Cat Immersion Project, part of the [Seattle Children's Hospital's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/c200) creative arts program for cancer patients, involved bringing thousands of virtual kitties to the hospital room of Maga Barzallo Sockemtickem. Sockemtickem, a 16-year-old cancer patient, has had to spend a lot of time at the hospital for treatment, which has prevented her from seeing her cat Merry. However, the staff at the Seattle Children's Hospital sent out a call on [Facebook](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/whiskas-purrcast) for people to post their favorite feline photos. The campaign brought in over 3,000 pictures, in addition to comments and messages. The staff then put together an audiovisual presentation, using a tent made out of bed sheets, in Sockemtickem's room that showcased all of the cat photos, along with pictures of Merry. As [Wired](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/selfie-verification) reports, Sockemtickem wrote of the Cat Immersion Project on the hospital's blog: ""I can't tell you how it feels sometimes, feeling disconnected and cut off from the world, and then with something like cat pictures bringing me back." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.5/10 - Popularity: 29% | Activity: 68% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Health](https://www.trendhunter.com/health) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Creative Arts Therapy:** The use of creative arts, such as virtual pet installations, in healthcare settings to enhance patients' emotional well-being and connection to the outside world. - **Virtual Community Engagement:** Harnessing the power of social media and online communities to bring a sense of belonging and support to individuals facing isolation or limited mobility. - **Personalized Immersive Experiences:** Creating customized audiovisual presentations that cater to individual needs and preferences, offering a personalized escape and emotional connection. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Healthcare:** Implementing creative arts programs and virtual pet installations in hospitals to improve patients' experiences and well-being - **Social Media:** Leveraging social media platforms to gather user-generated content and create meaningful virtual experiences for individuals in need - **Entertainment:** Exploring opportunities to develop immersive media experiences, combining visuals, sound, and personalization, to provide emotional engagement and escape. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Healing VR Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/healing-vr-experiences.md) - [Gamified Animal Aids](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/catswe.md) - [Immersive Cat Lover Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/whiskas-purradise.md) - [Petting Booth Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/petting-booth.md) - [AI-Enhanced Pet Adoption Photos](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/personality-pics.md) - [Game-Based Pet Adoption Events](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gamebased-pet-adoption-event.md) - [Personalized Pet Stories](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/4am-stories.md) - [Big-Screen Cat Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/inaba.md) - [Playful Medical Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/zoobree-nebulizer.md)