24
‘American Cancer Story’ is a compelling short film created to tackle the top issues threatening the safety of American children: cancer and gun violence. This groundbreaking initiative marks the first time that these two causes have united to combat significant dangers to children in America.
The film takes the viewer through an emotional story of a young girl’s cancer journey. We follow a gripping montage of her heroic battle, from the devastating news of the diagnosis, to after what seems like an endless cycle of procedures, remission. Her classmates greet her enthusiastically upon her return to school, only tragically to face a second life-threatening situation: a school shooting.
The fact that gun violence is the number one killer of American children is starkly delivered through the juxtaposition of the girl's promising prognosis against cancer and the sudden tragedy that unfolds in her school, emphasizing the urgent need for change.
Change the Ref, an organization founded by the parents of Joaquin Oliver, tragically killed in the Parkland school shooting, wanted to use their platform to bring these two causes together to combat the most significant dangers to children in America, transcending political boundaries to focus on the shared goal of safeguarding the younger generation.
Our objective is to make a tangible difference in the lives of children by driving donations to fund pediatric cancer research and to inspire people to use their voice to drive change in the fight against gun violence. We made a conscious effort to ensure that cancer was not trivialized in any way, a consideration that guided us throughout the entire process. Every aspect of the film was meticulously crafted to respectfully address the gravity of the subject matter. Our goal was to handle the topic with sensitivity, honoring the experiences of those affected by cancer.
Internal challenges included balancing the delicate narrative to honor both causes while maintaining audience engagement. Externally, navigating sensitive subject matter and potential backlash required careful messaging and consultation. We made a conscious effort to ensure that cancer was not trivialized, a consideration that guided us throughout the entire process.
With more than 3 million views to date, the film directs viewers to a website to take action to support both causes. First, they can donate to fund pediatric cancer research by choosing from a list of top-rated NPCF-certified childhood cancer-related institutions already raising funds for research, including the New York Cancer Foundation, Prevent Cancer Foundation Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. Second, because the fight against gun violence needs action, viewers can raise their voices by sharing the campaign to start a conversation about how we can do better to fight this threat, and demand urgent change from politicians.
According to the CDC, cancer is the number three killer of children in America, while gun violence is the number one. This groundbreaking initiative marks the first time that these two causes have united to combat the most significant dangers to children in America, transcending political boundaries to focus on the shared goal of safeguarding the younger generation.
The film was made for Change the Ref, an organization founded by the parents of Joaquin Oliver, tragically killed in the Parkland school shooting. Change the Ref's mission is to leverage creativity to protect as many children as possible, emphasizing the role of innovative approaches in tackling societal challenges.
