The James Fund

Even a Child Can Change the World

“I’ll always be fighting cancer”

results:

• Tom Hanks is the Honourary Patron of The James Fund
• The James Fund has gone from $30,000 to $13million
• Recognized around the world among top scientists
• Is a critical hub for Neuroblastoma families across North America
• Book by James’ dad:
  • features forward by Tom Hanks
  • featured in news media across country
  • now a mainstay in Ronald McDonald Houses and paediatric wards across North America
• Campaigns have generated local, national and even international media
  • Will to Survive:
    • engaged more than 22 million through media
    • its founder, Megan McNeil, honoured as Most Inspirational Story of the Year by CBC News
    • featured in virtually every major Canadian news outlet, sometimes repeatedly
  • Canada Wide for Childhood Cancer
    • engaged 10’s of millions across Canada through media
    • media sponsorship through Sun chain
• The Will to Survive, a James Fund campaign, has become “anthem” for Childhood Cancer Awareness
• The Will to Survive helped secure September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in Canada

overview:

Desperate to save young James Birrell, his family and friends kicked in $30,000 to fund research into Neuroblastoma, one of the deadliest childhood cancers.

It didn’t come in time to save James.

But it has become one of the leading funds in the world fighting the disease with a little help from strategic storytelling, good PR and the tireless efforts of families determined to save their kids.

problem:

Research into disease treatments and cures takes big dollars. But there is no profit to be made by discovering the drugs that will successfully fight childhood cancer.

So it falls to family organizations like The James Fund to fund the research that will save the lives of kids battling cancer.

But how to do that when you are up against huge organizations with massive fundraising machines and big dollars to spend to get even bigger dollars?

solution:

Deeply authentic storytelling and strategic collaborations have made this once small family fund into a model emulated around the world.

It is also the best chance that children fighting one of the deadliest and most common forms of childhood cancers have.

links:

www.jamesfund.com
www.willtosurvive.org

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Susan McLennan

Founder at ReImaginePR

Susan McLennan helps brands become better storytellers both through the media and through direct and digital communications. She is an award-winning communicator with a background in television production who has secured media coverage through some of the top media outlets in the world and created content that has won hearts and changed minds locally, nationally and internationally.

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