June 29, 2004

These kids today... Ben, a 10 year old boy who has been fighting leukemia used his wish from the Make-a-Wish foundation to have a game made where the protagonist battles cancer cells and collects shields to protect himself from the effects of chemotherapy. A game developer from LucasFilms heard the call, and in off-hours, created a slick, playable game, instantly familiar to kids fighting cancer everywhere.
posted by es el Queso 20 years ago
  • And in the game, the player can never die! And this, my friends, is irony.
  • I would have called it siding on wishfulness over harsh reality.
  • it's not like video games = reality, musingmelpomene. i don't know about you, but a kid with cancer earns a free pass or two in my book.
  • Think I would call it giving a very sick child a chance to experience, however briefly, a small triumph over adverse circumstances. These children may experience pleasure from the game as well -- something I think most of us would applaud. Having specific images can help a child understand what's going on inside his/her body, which in turn may help individuals cope with the side-effects of chemotherapy and/or the disease itself. There is much to be said for a patient's developing a positive attitude to his/her plight. My fervent wish is that this helps the players.
  • I think that the game (and the God-Mode) is a wonderful thing! Thank you for a link that carries a smile, es el Queso. :-D
  • Good on the kid for doing something positive for himself and other kids, and good on the developer for jumping in and taking it a step further. The world needs more of this. good link Queso!
  • I ... I ... am at a loss for negative criticism! It may not actually help fight off the cancer, but if anyone deserves a moment of escapism, it's a kid with life-threatening cancer. We need more stuff like that.
  • I'll stick with Ikaruga.
  • They need a Make-a-Wish Foundation for guys who can't get laid.
  • When a friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer some years age, her oncologist told her about a kid who visualized his cancer cells as baddies in a game and "killed" them in his mind. It seemed to help him since he went into unexpected remission. The doctor suggested doing the same to my friend, I guess under the theory that it couldn't hurt, and might even help. Unfortunately, it didn't work for her.
  • path, I am sorry to hear about your friend, but I Iagree with the sentiment that positive thought certainly can't hurt a sick child & if it helps, in any way, more the better. great link. thanks!
  • Good thing his make-a-wish wasn't to ask Dave Chapelle to play the game with him.
  • There's nothing more life affirming than giving destiny the finger.
  • This landed with a thud when I posted it 5 weeks ago. :(
  • DOUBLE POST CALL-OUT Sorry, gspm, dunno what you were running against that day, but thems the breaks. (you were just ahead of your time)
  • LucasArts; not LucasFilm. /nitpick
  • Sorry, gspm -- I was involved in an auto mishap that day, and although I know I moved my eyes over the FPPs later on, not much was really connecting, I guess, since I have no recollection of seeing that entry at all before. D'uh.
  • Well, i see it has been mentioned on Boing Boing like 10 hours ago so no biggie. was just sayin' was all. and my post made no mention of LucasArts or the Make-A-Wish foundation - two flashy ornaments that might have garnered more response. the response back then was cricketesque and one commenter called the game crap and nobody thanked me for my link and.... sigh.
  • When a friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer some years age, her oncologist told her about a kid who visualized his cancer cells as baddies in a game and "killed" them in his mind. This sort of visualization is what cancer patients are encouraged to do - a high school boyfriend of mine who had leukemia told me about it. So I think this game could help, and should probably be in every hospital.
  • ...and nobody thanked me for my link and ....sigh... There, there, gspm, wot you need is a stiff tot of cock punch to help ye stop feeling so Eeyore-ish. *hands a mighty tumblerful to gspm* Up tails all, as KG would say, [see Ducks Ditty]
  • My dad used visualization when he had cancer several years ago (two tumors, one in his kidney and a metastasis on his hip). I am firmly of the opinion that doing so helped to save his life. He managed to show his doctors at the Mayo Clinic a couple of things they'd never seen before.
  • 1,000 apologies for stepping on your toes and not checking on the link, gspm. the SF Gate is my home page, and it was the top link when I got to work, the story moved me to want to share it with others. It's a wonderful story, and mazel tov to you for finding it as well. btw, i'm responsible for the link on boingboing, too...