Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation
The imaginary friend society
A SERIES OF SHORT FILMS TRANSLATING MEDICAL-SPEAK INTO KID-SPEAK
A cancer diagnosis is scary for anyone, but for a child it can be even scarier. They’re bombarded with terminology and procedures that are intimidating and unfamiliar. Things like radiation, hair loss, blood transfusions, chemotherapy, and surgery. Just to name a few. That’s where the Imaginary Friend Society comes in. A cast of characters inspired by the imaginations of kids themselves. Through a series of 20 animated short films, our imaginary friends explain a wide range of complicated cancer topics in a way that kids can understand. Because the more they understand about their treatment, the less scary it will be.
Check out the website: www.imaginaryfriendsociety.com
Case Study
Short Films
FINDING OUT YOU HAVE CANCER
Meet Merlinda, a highly advanced wizard and imaginary friend who knows a lot about a lot. In this video, she helps explain the difficult feelings that accompany a cancer diagnosis.
FEELING SAD
When a young boy finds himself venturing into uncharted waters with a difficult diagnosis, an imaginary friend named Mr. Tibbs helps him confront his feelings of sadness.
WHAT IS AN MRI?
Roger and Charlie know MRIs inside and out. Here, these imaginary friends explain what to expect from an MRI scan and offer some awesome tips to avoid getting bored in the process.
WHY AM I TIRED ALL THE TIME
K-1211 might be an imaginary friend, but he's no stranger to the kind of fatigue that comes from having cancer treatment. Thankfully, he's got enough energy to talk about being tired.
BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS
Mr. Spikes is not your average robot-dinosaur imaginary friend. He has a deep understanding of medical procedures like blood transfusions.
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FEELING ANGRY
An odd couple if ever there was one, best (imaginary) friends Brawley and Frond chat with us about anger and about how everyone needs to blow their top now and then.
