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Music Icons Share New Storybook App with Patients

KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer and country music star Darius Rucker on Monday announced the release of the Ernest Hummingbird storybook app and underscored their support of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals by donating the app to its 170 children’s hospitals.

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“Ernest Hummingbird is a heartwarming children’s story of hope and inspiration,” Thayer said. “Our wish is that all children will enjoy the storybook and have fun singing-along with Ernest.”

At Medical University of South Carolina’s (MUSC) Children’s Hospital in Charleston on Monday, Thayer and Rucker, who helped bring to life Ernest’s stories on the app, announced the donation of the app to the 170 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across North America, making it available to the more than 10 million kids treated at member hospitals across North America each year. The storybook app is now available for purchase in the iTunes store for $2.99.

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“These amazing stories provide another resource for caregivers, such as Child Life specialists, to connect with kids. Such stories of hope and inspiration are helpful in the care of kids who are facing challenging diseases and injuries or complicated surgeries,” said Amanda Mahaffey, director of Children’s Miracle Network at MUSC Children’s Hospital. “It’s charitable support from friends like Tommy and Darius that help us provide services, such as Child Life programs, that are not covered by insurance or government programs.”

Thayer and Rucker’s ongoing dedication to philanthropy and supporting children’s hospitals’ healthcare initiatives continues to be a priority for both of them. While at MUSC Children’s Hospital, they visited with patients and performed a song from the storybook app. Thayer and Rucker, along with app creator Mechem Media, also donated a select number of iPads to the hospital’s Child Life Department so that patients and future patients can enjoy and benefit from Ernest Hummingbird’s adventures.