This video story reported and produced by Demi Asensio.
Research shows cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the world right now with an estimated 10 million deaths per year.
In the U.S. about 10,500 children will be diagnosed with cancer this year. Trinity nonprofit Magical Missions is working to put smiles on kids who are battling cancer right now.
Magical Missions provides free photo shoots to children with cancer and their families. The kids are allowed to take photos with their favorite princes and princesses, who are portrayed by actors.
Jaqueline Elliott founded this nonprofit serving the Tampa Bay area to give children with cancer magical memories they can keep with them.
“We noticed that there wasn’t really anything out there that was giving these kids this kind of service. So, on top of it, we decided why not have a character and then on top of it, have a magical photoshoot to have forever,” Elliott said.
Elliott began this mission when a child who was close to her was diagnosed with cancer. She says after eight years the photos continue but now for many different reasons.
For Elliott, she says for her seeing the kids and parents happy has been her motivation to keep going.
“It’s just so rewarding to know that I gave them that bit of happiness to have forever, on their walls, in a photo book, just for mom to look at, for dad to look, for their siblings to look at,” Elliott said.
In these photos, the children are the ones who steal the spotlight. One of the princesses, the character called the Flower Princess, says how great a feeling it is to be a part of these moments.
“I really like to see the excitement on their face when they see their favorite people walk into the room. I try to create magic for them and their families and try to see the biggest smiles that I can get out of them,” the character says.
The pandemic has brought about obvious difficulty to the nonprofit’s mission but they wont let any challenge stand in their way. Co-founder of Magical Missions and owner of GEM Characters Celebrations Ginny Masino says they found a way to keep the kids smiling even when they cannot come in for a shoot.
“Right now, we’re just doing, you know, drive-by parades and hospice visits on a very limited basis around COVID restrictions.” Masino said. It is a way for the kids to just be kids. In these shoots they can forget about hospital beds and needles and see what they love the most.
