LEGO MRI scanner set programme reaches 10,000 donations

The LEGO Group's brick-built MRI donation programme has reached 10,000 sets worldwide to help reduce anxiety and sedation for children.

Since 2022, the LEGO Foundation has been donating special MRI scanner sets to hospitals worldwide in order to help children understand the intimidating process of the procedure and teach them how to cooperate without being scared. The LEGO Group has now announced that this programme has reached 10,000 donations, prompting a study to see how it has helped children, according to healthcare professionals.

The research, conducted by the LEGO Group, revealed that 96% of healthcare professionals globally who used the LEGO MRI Scanner set report that the model helps alleviate children’s anxiety. 46% state that it has reduced the need for sedation or anaesthesia during MRI procedures.

The process works by using a special brick-built set to show patients exactly what will happen during the procedure, allowing professionals to explain it clearly and make sure they understand. Five-year-old Ivy from Edinburgh, Scotland, is one such patient, speaking on her experience with the scanner and the set with her mum.

"On the day of her second scan, Ivy did really well and was even a bit excited," shared Ivy’s mum Rachel. "If we hadn't played with the LEGO MRI model beforehand, I think she would have had a full meltdown and would no doubt have needed a general anaesthetic. Nobody wants their child to be put to sleep if you can avoid it."

“Ivy is a visual learner and loves LEGO bricks, so seeing and explaining the procedure through play was a game-changer. It really helped her to understand what to expect, took away any nerves and made things go plain sailing. Coming into the hospital can be a stressful experience, but playing with this model made our whole family feel more relaxed, calm and prepared."

Ivy added, “I liked playing with the LEGO toy. It made me feel relaxed. I didn't like the loud noises in the real machine. But I knew what was happening. I wasn't scared. I was brave."

Though the sets are not available for sale, they are donated to hospitals through the LEGO Group’s Social Responsibility team’s partners across the globe, including Fairy Bricks, Starlight Children's Foundation and United Way. A website has now been set up for those curious about the MRI scanner set, but open submissions have not been reopened since it closed in 2023.

As this program continues, we can only hope that the LEGO Group will find a way to make the model more widely available. Whether that's granting every hospital that could benefit from the build the opportunity to purchase it and have it delivered, or by sharing the instructions for staff or local LEGO clubs to source the parts for themselves.

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