ArenaNet is adding a new character to Guild Wars 2, though the inspiration behind this new character is certainly unique. Celebrating a partnership with the Children's Miracle Network of Hospitals, the new character is based off one of the CMN Champion children and will be voiced by games veteran Jennifer Hale.
The new character, April the Mesmer Wunderkind, is based on the real-life story of April Arellano, who is the recipient of life-saving help from the Children's Miracle Network. You might be familiar with the Network as they are the charity associated most with the Extra Life charity that dominates Twitch and other streaming platforms towards the end of each year.
ArenaNet has set up a special partnership with the CMN to feature the new character based on April, who was dealing with a life-threatening infection until the Children's Health of Orange County doctors were able to save her life. At just fifteen-months old, April was hit with a 105-fever and unable to breathe properly. Her parents brought her to the hospital where she was transferred to a CMN facility to treat her.
"Once there, doctors were able to immediately treat April and diagnose her with septic shock. Septic shock is fatal in 98% of cases involving children, but thanks to the specialists at CHOC, April was quickly diagnosed and treated, saving her life.
Further tests showed that the septic shock April was suffering from had stopped the blood flow to her extremities, causing the skin there to die all the way down to the muscle. April was transferred to the burn unit at a neighboring hospital where they determined that gangrene had already begun to set in on April’s right calf. The doctors made the decision to amputate April’s leg to stop any further infection—once again saving her life."
April's now ten years old and living a full life thanks to the work done by the incredible doctors who cared for her. According to her profile on the Guild Wars 2 website, April loves to dance and performs in the theater. The new character in Guild Wars 2 celebrates April by adding her into the MMO as a precocious young adept Mesmer, complete with the latest Jade technology powering a prosthetic leg, as well as some sweet dance moves.
She will be added to the MMO as part of a game update which will go live during the Guild Wars 2 Extra Life 2022 Game Day event, which will raise money for the CMN Hospitals to help carry on the life-saving work they are doing for kids all around the world.
