Countless sick children will spend Christmas in the hospital this year.
But the team over at RPA is making sure they know Santa’s not forgotten about them.
The Los Angeles-based independent worked with Blame Your Brother in Toronto which donated an animation as part of ongoing work for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation that aims to mitigate the fear and anxiety that comes with a child’s cancer diagnosis.
"Something we found out from the folks at the foundation is that kids are fearful they’re going to be passed over during the holidays because they’re in the hospital and not at home, where they typically receive their gifts," aid RPA’s SVP, Chief Creative Development Jason Sperling. "This piece was created to counter that and let them know Santa will find them anywhere, even at the hospital.
"Several of the bigger Children’s Hospitals have their own video networks, where play the Imaginary Friends films. We are hoping to have this this film included on these networks as well, where it will reach young patients who will appreciate the message."
It’s estimated that more than 300,000 kids around the world are told they have disease each year. And many of them have limited resources to help them understand what it means.
But that’s been changing since last fall with help from RPA. Its partnership with the foundation birthed the Imaginary Friend Society -- a series of 22 short films that translate medical-talk into kid-talk.
Every three minutes, a child is diagnosed with cancer.
It’s estimated that more than 300,000 kids around the world are told they have disease each year. And many of them have limited resources to help them understand what it means.
But that’s been changing since last fall with help from independent agency RPA.
In 2017, the shop was taken on by the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, which wanted to do something about the fear and confusion these children face. The partnership worked to create the Imaginary Friend Society -- a series of 22 short films that translate medical-talk into kid-talk.
All of the educational cartoons were produced pro-bono. They covered complicated aspects of pediatric cancer from blood transfusions to emotionally charged topics like maintaining friendships from the hospital and returning to school after treatment.
Some of the film characters were even inspired by the kids themselves. Drawings have been given life on the screen, imaginary friend dolls have been created for children to hold during MRI scans and coloring books now sit in hospital wards.