Two friends took a gamble to bring magic, even in the most serious situations.
The diseases that affect children are both tragic and unfair. Forced to face adult problems far too early, these children sometimes give up part of their childhood and their innocence, much to the despair of their parents. Five years ago in the United States, two friends Ginny Masino and Jackie Elliot were invited to a little girl's cancer remission party. Her mother, a mutual friend, had asked Jackie, who is a photographer, to take pictures and Ginny, a cosplay fan, to dress the children in attendance as princesses and superheroes. Several of them were being treated for cancer.
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This victory celebration was such a success that it gave them an idea: to recreate universes of magic and joy for these sick children and to immortalize them in photos. This is how Magical Missions was born. "We improve their mental health and give them some kind of power, thanks to their favorite character", Ginny told Insider.
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Photo ops and montages are free for families whose children are battling cancer and other illnesses. Since the association's inception, Ginny and Jackie have taken over 100 photoshoots.
Help to overcome the insurmountable
Losing a child from any cause is a life-changing ordeal that is beyond comprehension. While many of the children who were dressed up and photographed by Ginny and Jackie were fortunate enough to heal, not all of them. Some families regularly ask them to retouch photos to add a deceased child. Others use the photos of their child taken by Magical Sessions for funeral commemorations. "This is the hardest part", Ginny admits. But even though this job is sometimes difficult to handle emotionally, it is well worth it. And according to Jackie, “When you lose these children, they become part of your story. "
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Both moms, Ginny and Jackie have come to realize a number of things as they work alongside sick children. That's why they sometimes involve their own children in photo shoots, to show them how important it is to give to others.