HUDSON SQUARE, Manhattan — The story of Seacrest Studios began two decades ago when Ryan Seacrest was visiting children’s hospitals to support the young patients and their families and felt compelled to do something – anything – to help.

But just what could that be?

“I talked to the parents a lot outside the rooms, and I said, ‘Are there things that in these difficult times your child can look forward to? Is there anything that puts a smile on their face or takes their mind off of the treatment and the shots and the doctors and all the seriousness? And they said, other than a video game, not really.”

That got Seacrest to thinking on the drive home from one of those visits.

“What if we could create a safe space, a no-poke zone that was the entertainment center and capital of these hospitals,” he said, reflecting on how the idea formed. “And what if the patients could walk in there and perform and produce and be the stars? And everything that they would do would be sent up into the rooms of other patients. So that they’d essentially become famous in the hospitals and forget about what they’re going through.”

And so Seacrest Studios was born, the first one opening at a hospital in Atlanta.

There are now 13 Seacrest Studios at hospitals today, with expansions coming in Miami and New Orleans.

The Ryan Seacrest Foundation is dedicated to inspiring pediatric patients through these Seacrest Studios broadcast media centers. Just as Seacrest envisioned two decades ago, children get to explore the creative realms of radio, television, and now, new media.

“I hope that they tap into their talent, their ambition. I hope they realize that what they’re going through is just part of their life, that that is not what they are defined by,” Seacrest said. “I hope they realize that when they get through what they’re going through, they can pursue, maybe even a job in producing or singing. We have green screens, they make movies, they write the movies, they star in the movies. It’s amazing to see.”

Seacrest is perhaps the busiest man in show business, but he always finds time for Seacrest Studios. And he has help – it’s a family affair, guided by the mission to contribute positively to the healing process for children and their families during their stay.

Learn more by watching this extended interview with Seacrest conducted by Shirleen Allicot, anchor for Channel 7 Eyewitness News in New York. Allicot is the host of “Protect Our Children: In Safe Hands,” which features an interview with Seacrest, news of a breakthrough in the fight against sickle cell disease and so much more.

You can watch the special on this station’s website beginning the evening of Saturday, May 17. Learn more about this special here.