Childhood Cancer Canada (CCC) is launching a national brand platform and awareness campaign, “Let’s Face the Unimaginable,” developed by independent agency The Garden, part of Humanise Collective. The work challenges the reflexive response many people have when confronted with childhood cancer–“I can’t imagine”–and seeks to reframe public understanding of the lifelong, family-wide realities that follow.
Right now, more than 10,000 families in Canada are caring for a child with cancer, and an average of six children are diagnosed every day. CCC is the national organization in Canada focused exclusively on children’s cancer, supporting families through awareness, research funding, and long-term emotional and financial care.
At the center of the campaign is a hero film that asks viewers to pause and imagine the unimaginable, the cumulative impact of childhood cancer beyond the moment of diagnosis, from job loss and financial strain to relocation, isolation, and the emotional toll carried by parents and siblings alike. Defined by raw, unguarded moments, the film captures how childhood cancer continues to shape family life long after diagnosis.
Directed by Jason van Bruggen of Suneeva, the film features real CCC families at various stages of treatment and recovery. Shot with a deliberately small, intimate crew, the production prioritized sensitivity and trust, drawing directly from families’ lived experiences to shape the visual narrative.
“Childhood cancer is often seen as a single moment–a diagnosis or a hospital stay–without fully understanding the ripple effects it creates for entire families,” said Kyle Smith, director of development, CCC. “At Childhood Cancer Canada, we face those realities every day alongside families, providing financial, psychosocial and community support, investing in critical research and creating awareness. This campaign reflects the realities that childhood cancer is more than a diagnosis; it has many hidden impacts on a family. We believe that only by confronting the full experience can we create better outcomes for families.”
“We heard directly from families with lived experience that ‘I can’t imagine’ was something people reflexively said to them, often as a way to avoid hearing more,” said Lindsay Eady, executive creative director, The Garden. “‘Let’s Face the Unimaginable’ is about pushing past avoidance and discomfort toward understanding, because we can’t begin to make a difference until we confront the reality of childhood cancer.”
The campaign launches nationally in February in support of International Childhood Cancer Awareness Day (February 15) and will run across donated media, including television, radio, out-of-home, digital, and social placements. Symbolic visibility efforts will run alongside the media rollout, landmarks across Canada–including the CN Tower–lit yellow and gold in recognition of the day. Glassroom, part of Humanise Collective, handled the media buy.
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