BraveVR: Preparing for Courage with Tandem Impact Collective

Children facing medical procedures often experience intense anticipatory anxiety—sometimes more distressing than the procedure itself. The waiting, unfamiliar equipment, and memories of past discomfort can quietly build fear long before treatment begins. Over time, repeated visits may shape how a child feels about healthcare altogether, influencing their sense of safety, trust, and control. For pediatric care providers, this creates an ongoing challenge: how to meaningfully support children’s emotional well-being without adding complexity to already demanding clinical environments. 

In collaboration with Tandem Impact Collective, our team is developing BraveVR, a research-informed virtual reality experience designed to gently support emotional preparation before medical procedures. While utilizing the inherent capability of VR to provide patient distraction, BraveVR also emphasizes calm regulation, familiarity, and a sense of agency. Structured as a short, repeatable 3–5 minute experience, it uses symbolic storytelling, breath-responsive environmental feedback, and simple gaze-based interactions to create a soothing, returnable “safe space.” The experience is intentionally lightweight and adaptable, designed to fit naturally into waiting periods or pre-procedure moments when anxiety often peaks. 

Our approach combines evidence from pediatric anxiety research with clinician-informed procedure journey mapping to identify realistic, supportive intervention windows. Through rapid prototyping in Unity XR, we will refine interaction simplicity, sensory tone, and workflow fit while prioritizing ethical and developmental considerations. 

The anticipated outcome is a polished MVP VR prototype, supported by personas, journey maps, and design documentation—demonstrating a compassionate, scalable model for reducing pediatric procedural anxiety through immersive preparation.