For Immediate Release February 3, 2014 "Manulife Waku Waku Room" Opens at Ibaraki Children's Hospital Provides Recreation Space for Adolescents Undergoing Treatment

Japan - On Monday February 3, a "Manulife Waku Waku Room" was officially opened at Ibaraki Children's Hospital with the support and cooperation of the NPO Children's Health Forum. This new recreation space will serve young patients-adolescents in particular-who are undergoing medical treatment at the hospital. The head of Ibaraki Children's Hospital, other hospital personnel, as well as representatives from NPO Children's Health Forum and Manulife Life Insurance Company attended an opening ceremony and viewing of the room to mark the occasion.

The Manulife Waku Waku Room Special Support Project started in 2008 with the sponsorship of Manulife Life Insurance Company and the cooperation of the Central Community Chest of Japan. It is one of several initiatives by the NPO Children's Health Forum to improve the medical treatment environment of children in Japan. The project aims to support the creation and operation of high-quality model playrooms to raise awareness for the significance that playrooms have in improving the well-being of children undergoing medical treatment. It is well documented that providing hospitalized children with a place to play allows them to put thoughts of their illness and treatment aside while building social skills through interaction with other children. This reduces children's hospitalization stress and aids in children's recovery.

The newly completed Waku Waku Room is the tenth room completed under the project and the first to one built in the Ibaraki Prefecture. Ibaraki Children's Hospital already had rudimentary playrooms in both its inpatient and outpatient wards, but they were aimed chiefly at toddlers and young children. Adolescent patients tended to keep to their own rooms for the duration of their hospitalization.  Adolescents have their own developmental themes and needs that the existing facilities did not address. The new Manulife Waku Waku Room aims to provide a relaxed environment in which such adolescents can enjoy age-appropriate activities and interact with other children of a similar age while exploring a broad range of studies and interests. 

About Manulife Financial
Manulife Life Insurance Company ("Manulife Japan") is a member of the Manulife Financial Group. 

Manulife Financial is a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the  United States. Clients look to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions. Our international network of employees, agents and distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management products and services to millions of clients. We also provide asset management services to institutional customers. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$575 billion (US$559 billion) as at September 30, 2013. The Company operates as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia and primarily as John Hancock in the United States.

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Media Contact
Satoko Miyoshi
Communications Department
Manulife Life Insurance Company
Tel: 042-442-7180

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