When Jim Hickey moved his family to Bermuda to take up his duties as vice president at Allied World Assurance Company, Ltd (Awac), he experienced more than the usual amount of stress associated with such a move.

The day after his arrival, his ten-year old son, Jonathan, was hospitalised for what turned out to be most of six weeks.

Jim says that the treatment at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital was excellent, but he was most surprised to learn that the hospital did not have cable television service available for patients. In addition, although at one time there were a few small TVs and electronic games for young patients' entertainment, most had either ‘checked out' with unknown visitors or were broken down without funds available for repair.

Jim approached Awac president Michael Morrison to see whether the company would be willing to help out the children. Permission was granted, so Jim next asked Nicky Correia, administrative assistant in the human resources department, to assist him with a solution. That's when Jim got to see Bermudian community spirit in action.

Nicky put together a wish list for the Gosling Children's Ward, which comprised four mobile, locking entertainment cabinets, each equipped with a 19-inch TV with built-in VCR, a Play Station with DVD player and some games.

Her shopping spree resulted in the acquisition of exactly what the children needed. Awac's purchases were supplemented by discounts from M&M International, where she got the TV/VCR combos, Staples, which discounted the mobile units and Bermuda Forwarders, which supplied a truck and staff to deliver the complete entertainment units to the hospital.

The entertainment cabinets that Nicky chose had to be shipped to the Island and were delivered in kit form. Luckily, Jim also has a mechanically inclined older son, Chris, who used his talents to put them together. The units lock, are able to be rolled from room to room and when in position, have a safety lock to keep them in place. Upon delivery, the units were inspected by KEMH's electrical/maintenance staff and found to be safe.

Christine Virgil, who is the Clinical Co-ordinator of the Goslings Ward at KEMH, said that the units were joyfully received and are in continual ‘play'. The ward comfortably holds 15 children and their parents and Christine explained that having four allows each primary age group to have a unit available and the children are thus able to play with others who are their peers, age-wise.

Ms Virgil said that they would be most grateful for donations of DVDs and Play Station games, either new or, perhaps, that local children have outgrown.

AWAC commenced business in Bermuda on November 13, 2001 with equity capital from investments led by American International Group, Inc. (AIG), Chubb Corporation and GS Capital Partners 2000, L.P., an investment fund managed by Goldman Sachs & Co. After slightly more than one year, it currently employs 65 people in Bermuda.