7-Year-Old “Miracle Kid” Challenges Rutgers Football Player in Live Video Game Showdown to Support Children’s Specialized Hospital

New Brunswick, NJ (December 15, 2025) - RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Athletics are teaming up for a first-of-its-kind, high-energy fundraising livestream event that brings college sports, virtual gaming, and pediatric healthcare together. On Wednesday, December 17, 2025 from 3-5 pm, Rutgers Football player, Jai Patel, will face an unexpected challenger, Children's Specialized Hospital (CSH) patient and Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN) NJ Champion, 7-year-old Nikos Kaymakcian, in a virtual touchdown battle streamed live from Rutgers University's Hale Center.

Diagnosed with spina bifida before birth, Nikos' parents were told that he would never walk and would have limited quality of life. Today, at seven-years-old, Nikos is defying those odds thanks to care received at Children's Specialized Hospital. Due to his unwavering determination to reach his full potential, Nikos can now walk with the support of his walker and braces, plays for The New Jersey Phantoms, NJ's first-ever wheelchair basketball league, and enjoys all things a sports-loving kid does - including playing video games with his brothers. His resilience makes him the perfect competitor for this uplifting showdown.

"Nikos is a true inspiration and we're thrilled to partner on this first-ever fundraising event with Rutgers Athletics to support more children just like him," said Alissa Memoli, President and Chief Development Officer, Children's Specialized Hospital Foundation. "Gaming is a powerful tool for healing, helping kids build confidence, develop motor skills, and stay connected socially during some of their toughest moments. Through Children's Miracle Network's Extra Life program, moments of play like this one become moments of impact for kids across New Jersey."

The event will feature live commentary from Chris Carlin, Rutgers Football commentator, special guest appearances from Rutgers legends including Eric LeGrand, in addition to fun, fan-triggered fundraising challenges. The livestream will encourage participation from viewers and if they're feeling generous, they'll be able to unlock on-screen twists - from mystery jelly beans, to silly props, spinning the "Wheel of Consequences," and real-time flash challenges to cheer on Nikos, the fun won't stop at just tuning in to watch.

"I'm really excited to be part of this event and spend time with Nikos," said Patel. "This event is a special opportunity to give back and support an incredible community. Being able to connect, raise money for a great cause, and hopefully bring some smiles means a lot to me."

The livestream event marks the beginning of a broader partnership between Rutgers Athletics and RWJBarnabas Health to meet their fans, patients, and community members where they're at. Additionally, it aligns with Extra Life, a Children's Miracle Network Hospitals gaming program that rallies gamers nationwide to support local children's hospitals.

"This event captures everything that RWJBarnabas Health believes in - community, resilience, and the power of partnerships to better serve our patients and families," said Justin Edelman, Senior Vice President of External Communications and Corporate Sponsorships, RWJBarnabas Health. "We're so grateful for our partners at Rutgers Athletics for helping us pull together these incredible experiences. Play is an essential part of the overall wellbeing of children - activations like this not only provide fun, but quite literally enhance the health outcomes of our youngest patients."

How to support and watch

About Children's Specialized Hospital

Children's Specialized Hospital, a part of the Children's Health network at RWJBarnabas Health, is the nation's leading provider of inpatient and outpatient care for children from birth to 21 years of age facing special health challenges - from chronic illnesses and complex physical disabilities like brain and spinal cord injuries, to a full scope of developmental, behavioral, and mental health outcomes. At 14 different New Jersey locations, our pediatric specialists partner with families to make our many innovative therapies and medical treatments more personalized and effective so each child can reach their full potential. For more information, visit rwjbh.org/childrensspecialized.

When you give to Children's Specialized Hospital (CSH) Foundation, 100% of your donation supports the programs and services of CSH that are transforming the lives of children with unique health challenges. CSH Foundation receives philanthropic support from community members who share our mission and commitment to ensuring that all children receive the life-changing care they need to reach their full potential. To help or learn more, visit https://give2csh.org.

About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey's largest and most comprehensive academic health system, caring for more than five million people annually. Nationally renowned for quality and safety, the system includes 14 hospitals and 9,000 affiliated physicians providing care at more than 700 patient care locations.

RWJBarnabas Health partners with its communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. It provides patient-centered care in a compassionate manner and is the state's largest safety-net provider and leader in addressing the social determinants of health. RWJBarnabas Health provides food to the hungry, housing for the homeless and economic opportunities to those most vulnerable.

RWJBarnabas Health's commitment to enhancing access to care includes a transformative partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute - the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey's largest private employers, with more than 45,000 employees, contributing more than $7 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit https://www.RWJBH.org

About Rutgers Athletics

The Rutgers Department of Intercollegiate Athletics (Rutgers Athletics), comprised of 24 men's and women's varsity sports serving more than 740 student-athletes, is a member of the Big Ten Conference and governed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Rutgers is the Birthplace of College Football, hosting the first-ever collegiate matchup on Nov. 6, 1869, a 6-4 victory over Princeton. Rutgers Athletics is uniquely positioned in the nation's largest media market with over seven million television households, along with access to Big Ten Network and its nearly 60 million homes across the U.S. and Canada. Established in 1766, Rutgers University is the State University of New Jersey and eighth-oldest higher education institution in the country. As a premier academic institution, Rutgers is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook, X and Instagram for all of the latest news and updates. Also visit ScarletKnights.com for additional information on Rutgers Athletics.

About Children's Miracle Network Hospitals & Extra Life
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 services for families who could not otherwise afford these health services. Together we can change kids' health. Together we can change the future. To learn more about Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and your local member children's hospital, visit cmnhospitals.org.

Extra Life is a fundraising program of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals that unites thousands of gamers around the world to play games in support of their local children's hospital. Since its inception, Extra Life has raised $132 million for member hospitals to support kids and their families. The Extra Life community fundraises year-round to change kids' health to change the future.

Media Contact:
Megan Granozio
732-443-7068
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