January 15, 2025 • 42 mins
The episode highlights the inspiring work of James Origo and the Big Dreams program at Children's Cancer Research Fund, which turns children's imaginations into joyful, larger-than-life experiences during their battles with cancer. By providing creative distractions through innovative technologies and heartfelt connections, the program creates lasting legacies of joy and laughter for families facing the challenges of childhood illness.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
- How the Big Dreams program was inspired by personal experiences and evolved to make an impact.
- The innovative ways James and his team use technology, including virtual reality, to connect with children during the pandemic.
- Behind-the-scenes insights into the collaborative process involving artists, musicians, and designers.
- Heartfelt stories of resilience and the therapeutic value of creativity and laughter.
- The emotional rewards and challenges of working closely with children and families affected by cancer.
Learn more about Big Dreams Tour: See the videos.
Watch 15-year old Aimee Baker's giant muffin head movie.
Watch Kimber's quest to find a unicorn ukulele.
Subscribe and Follow: Don’t miss an episode! News episodes drop every other Wednesday.
Are you inspired to take action? Take action and make an impact on a child affected by childhood cancer. Support the much-needed funding for childhood cancer by making a donation NOW to CCRF!
Hosted by Brandi DeVries: Advocate, fundraiser, and Mrs. Minnesota International 2025.
Guest: James Orrigo
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IG: instagram.com/brandi.devries
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
BRANDI (00:00):
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine a world where
childhood cancer doesn't meanhospital rooms and treatments,
but wild adventures ranging fromdrift car racing to rideable
robot penguins, giant muffinheads.
That sounds impossible, right?
(00:22):
Well, not if you're James Origo.
As an award-winning creativedirector and the founder and
mastermind behind the Big Dreamsprogram at Children's Cancer
Research Fund, james turns theextraordinary imagination of
kids battling cancer intounforgettable, larger-than-life
realities.
(00:42):
His mission is more than justbringing joy, laughter and a
creative outlet to kids andteens.
It's about creating lastinglegacies and powerful
distractions for families facingthe unimaginable.
Let's get ready to be inspired,uplifted and maybe even a
little teary-eyed.
(01:03):
I am so excited to welcome theone and only James to Act to
Impact.
You're listening to Act toImpact with Brandi DeVries
Through heartfelt stories ofresilience, hope and community.
I share my personal experienceas a longtime advocate and
fundraiser for the nationalnonprofit Children's Cancer
(01:26):
Research Fund.
Invite pediatric cancerfamilies to tell their stories
and highlight individuals whouse their unique gifts to create
a positive impact.
It's time to Ignite Action.
JAMES (01:41):
Thanks, brandi, thanks for having me.
BRANDI (01:43):
Well, welcome James to ACT to Impact, and I'm Brandy
DeVries and I'm chatting withJames.
Like I said, he's very talentedand creative.
I can't wait for us to all hearmore about his work.
But first I want to thank youfor watching and listening with
us.
In this show, we take actionand my guess is that you're
(02:04):
watching or listening.
You're probably here becauseyou're an action taker or you
want to learn more about how youcan take action in your life
and community, and click thefollow button, like this episode
(02:28):
, leave us a five-star review orleave a comment that helps us
reach more action takers likeyourself.
So, all right, james, let'sdive into talking about how we
know each other, how we becameconnected, why you're on ACT to
Impact and, as we said in yourintroduction, you're involved
with Children's Cancer ResearchFund with one of their programs,
and that's how we're connected.
(02:50):
I've been involved withChildren's Cancer Research Fund
for over eight years and that'show I was introduced to the Big
Dreams program and also thevirtual Camp Norden component
that you've put together as well.
So we initially met in at Dream2023 when you were there,
because you had that cool likevirtual VR set that the guests
(03:13):
and attendees could kind of geta glimpse of, because that's, if
I remember correctly, that iswhat you were doing with the
virtual Camp Norton component.
The kids were having that VRcomponent the ones that weren't
able to come and spend time atcamp and so we had initially,
like, met there very briefly youprobably don't even remember me
(03:35):
with all the people there andstuff that night, but prior to
that I had, with SOAR leadershipcouncil, we were supporting
raising money and raising fundsfor Camp Norton and for the
virtual Camp Norton, and soMindy Dykes had come on and
talked to us about the work thatyou were doing with that and
(03:57):
yeah, it was just such acreative way and I've been
following it ever since becauseI just think it's the coolest
thing for these kids.
So yeah.
And one thing too.
It's just I don't.
Either I don't remember hearingthis background, or it was
never brought up in any of ourconversations with Mindy or when
(04:20):
we were talking about bigdreams in Camp Norton before.
But do you have a directconnection to childhood cancer
that prompted you to getinvolved with CCRF?
JAMES (04:30):
So not not directly with childhood cancer, but my mom she
had.
Unfortunately she had terminalcancer.
So all growing up, you knowyou're always in and out of the
hospitals and seeing howdevastating these news.
You know that some of thedoctors give you and you know
you're always in and out of thehospitals and seeing how
devastating these news.
You know that some of thedoctors give you and you know
how you're supposed to deal with.
You know you only have a coupleof weeks left to live, or a few
(04:52):
months.
You know there's just some hardstuff that unfortunately, this
cancer community understandsmore than others.
So being a caregiver was such abeautiful opportunity to you
know, just be there for my momand help her with different
things, and one of those thingsthat I found was the most
helpful was bringing thatpositive distraction.
So, as time had gone on and shehad ended up passing on, that
(05:19):
was served as kind of like thiscatalyst of what we end up doing
today.
You know, and going through thepain with her is actually what
sparked the passion to be ableto make me more of an expert at
what I do today.
And it's just, yeah, it's beenamazing, you know, and
unfortunately, my mom.
You know she only after she hadpassed.
You only have a few voice memosfrom her, a few videos, and you
(05:40):
realize that, like man, I wishI had more audio recordings,
because you forget the sound ofa voice.
So that ended up sparking awhole whirlwind of an adventure
to see how can we bring this joyand distraction and legacy
preservation in a fun and sillyway with.
You know, it's one thing to seean adult go through this stuff,
but it's a whole nother thingwhen you're there with some
(06:01):
patients that are children.
You know that just it's awful.
So, yeah, and then that sparkeda whole, a whole whirlwind of
of incredible opportunities.
And you know, we use, we bringsilliness and joy and we and
technology to to the to patients, right at their bedside.
We help them create cartoonmusic videos, you know, custom
video games, larger than lifeproductions, and it's just to
(06:24):
kind of show them that you knowthey're not alone in their fight
and that there's wholecommunities rooting for them.
And, yeah, and just to givethem a creative outlet and that
positive distraction, becausethat's exactly what you need.
And hopefully all the kids Iwork with live for as long as
you know, until 110 would beamazing, but unfortunately the
reality of some of the work thatI get brought into.
(06:45):
That's not the case, and so, atthe end of the day, these
families get to have thesepositive videos and songs and
games that their kids havecreated that they can press play
again, hear their voice againover and over, and that's
invaluable.
BRANDI (07:01):
Yeah, yep, absolutely so .
Did you bring the idea that youjust described to Children's
Cancer Research Fund, or didthey find you?
JAMES (07:10):
Yeah.
So my wife and I, we startedthis program back in 2015 and we
started it, yeah, and juststarted running.
You know, we started working.
Nothing was being done likethat before, using animation and
these custom videos and songs,all sorts of stuff and games.
So, yeah, we started in 2015and we brought it to hospitals
(07:31):
all over the country.
I worked at the top children'shospitals all over the nation,
got involved with.
Google was our first sponsor,which is kind of fun and we
traveled the US in a little MiniCooper wrapped in cartoons and
bringing joy and distraction,and it totally worked.
And then, as time went on, wehoned in our process even more
and more and it eventually gotto the level where, um, yeah, I
(07:53):
saw, uh, zach Sobiak's um videoand clouds and it just Ooh, it
just rippled through your heart,um, and I wanted to thank his
mom, uh, zach's mom, lauraSobiak.
I wanted to thank his mom,zach's mom, laura Sobiak.
I wanted to thank her, um, justbecause he touched my heart and
and he, he served as a catalystfor me to do what I do today as
well, and so I just wrote her apersonal thank you note.
(08:14):
Um, and long story short, thosepaths crossed and got to have
dinner with their family andjust, uh, just incredible.
And they've gotten to come tosome of the events where we're
filming, you know, giant turtlesand Lamborghinis and all sorts
of wild imaginative things thatthese patients come up with.
And, yeah, and then that teamedup with Children's Cancer
(08:36):
Research Fund, because they werelike, oh, this is awesome.
Like you see that as a familyservice program like this is
bringing so much joy andlaughter in times where there's
not that, um, that it is just,it's one of a kind and, yeah,
it's, it's been a beautifulpartnership and relationship, um
, with Children's CancerResearch Fund, and now we've
been able to, you know, take ityear after year to just next
(08:58):
level.
Um, and it's been, it's beenawesome.
And again, the fun thing is youdon't know what experience is
going to come up.
You know you just dive right inwith the, with the child, and
and see what they're interestedin the most and what their
imagination comes up with, andit is so wild of a journey every
single time.
BRANDI (09:16):
Yeah, so going back to when you first started this, was
it always called big dreamstour, or has that name evolved,
or?
Or how did you guys determinelike, this is what it's going to
be?
JAMES (09:29):
Yeah, that's it.
Yeah, it really evolved to that, because it just turned into
yeah, you want to help peopledream big, um, especially, um,
these kids, uh, who are confinedto a hospital room or on
hospice.
You know, you want to.
Time is such a such a fleetingthing and life is such a
precious gift, so we just wantedpeople to to dream big, and and
(09:50):
then we try to help thosedreams come to reality.
You know, and sometimes thosedreams aren't even what you're
expecting.
You know you're, if you're akid, you're not expecting to
make a song about riding on theback of a mechanical penguin and
drift car around a zoo, butnext thing, you know, that ends
up turning into a reality.
And then they have thisbeautiful, beautiful moment with
(10:12):
their family where they'reliterally riding on the back of
drivable drift car penguinsthrough the Detroit Zoo penguin
exhibits, like collecting rarecards.
It was absolutely beautiful.
So, yeah, and and then that thatthat name has just continued to
evolve and we we switched it tobig dreams, virtual tour, um,
(10:32):
when it um, when covid hit,everything shut down, you
weren't allowed in hospitals oranything like that, so normally
we would be bedside um with thepatients, but we had to pivot,
and so you just look at that asa unique opportunity.
So we started figuring out howwe could utilize Zoom and make,
you know, meeting online morefun and engaging, instead of
(10:53):
just a boring Zoom call.
So, next thing, you know, we'redoing the 3D modeling over the
screen.
We're doing, you know, all thisstuff that's super immersive
and it ended up having such animpact that it ended up winning
all of Zoom's overall innovationaward.
For, you know, when COVID washappening and everyone was using
Zoom, we were using it in a waythat was so meaningful and,
(11:15):
yeah, so we'd meet on Zoom andthen we'd send them a VR headset
, like you had mentioned.
And we now, all of a sudden,now we could bring them up to
the moon or surround them withdinosaurs and puppeteer.
You know a wild scene of allsorts of things.
They could ride on the back ofa whale if they wanted, you know
, and then we'd premiere theirmusic video in virtual reality
and it just serves that totalescape from the hospital walls.
(11:38):
You know, it's like took you toa whole nother place and their
families are just having a blastseeing their kids like light up
you to a whole nother place andtheir families are just having
a blast seeing their kids likelight up.
BRANDI (11:46):
Um, yeah, and that's yeah Thinking about.
They're like, for once they can, they can have something else
to think about and look forwardto, other than like when their
next appointment is or whenthey're going to get poked again
and that they're in control.
JAMES (11:59):
You know what I mean.
It's not my ideas, it's notanything, it's, it's, it's what,
what you say goes, let's seewhere it takes us, and, and you
know, and I can help hone it,but it's like, you know, how
often do you as a, as a childwho's getting poked and prodded,
and what you can't eat, whatyou can't um, it's like whoa, I
have full control of something.
You know what do I want tocreate?
And it leads to things that arejust incredible.
BRANDI (12:21):
Yeah, walk me through us , through that process of when
there is a kiddo that you'reintroduced to and you're, or
you're reaching out to them andsaying, hey, I get to bring your
wildest dreams to life.
Like, what's that process?
Like, how do you initially havethat conversation?
And because I'm very curious,like how you get them to open up
(12:44):
so that you can make theirdreams come to life through the
games and the sounds and theanimation, right, because they
don't know you, right, and soit's like you clearly, though,
have a gift to get them to openup through your process as well,
but I'm curious, like, yeah,what's what do you go through
with them so to get, andeventually, to that end result,
(13:05):
because the videos are so cool,but it clearly there's a lot
that goes into it there's nolike planned formula or script,
because it has to be fluid andit has to be genuine and it has
to just kind of work with eachkid and and yeah, this comes
with years of practice um, youknow, being in situations that
(13:26):
are unbelievably challenging,like if someone came up to you
and be like, oh, tell me yourwildest dream.
JAMES (13:30):
Like you wouldn't even know what to at least I wouldn't
even know what I would talkabout, you know.
So we don't put any pressure on, like you know, because that
can almost be overwhelming.
I'm like, whoa, you can pickanything and do anything.
Well, what is it, you know?
Um, so we just kind of startwith just getting to know them
and just start just chattingwith them and their family and
like seeing what, what clicks,and and once you see what makes
(13:52):
them laugh and you get thislittle like spark in each, in
each patient we've worked with.
It's like, oh, okay, this is,this is the way, this is where
we're going.
And you know and I I've donethis in so many different
situations that it's really it'shoned in the craft.
I mean, like I said, we wouldbe making songs with and videos
with kids who are super outgoingand are so jazzed up, excited
(14:16):
to do this.
And then there's other kidswe've worked with where they're
terrified of singing.
They don't even know I don'teven sing, you know.
And next thing you know they'remaking this smash hit country
song or something you know, likewhoa, I didn't even know I
could do that, you know.
And then you know, and thenwe've worked with kids that are
like totally nonverbal, you know, from brain tumors, and they
(14:36):
can't speak and and yet you'restill able to dig out and find
that spark of what makes themlaugh.
You know, I was working with apatient one time.
They can only communicate withtheir eyes, you know.
And next thing, you know,you're still bringing this
silliness and joy and they'relighting up strictly with eyes,
you know.
It's like, so you're just givingthat one-on-one attention and
really just really taking thattime to enjoy this person, you
(15:03):
know, and enjoy their ideas andsee what they can create.
And so, yeah, so we just start,I mean and again it can be
anything, it's from.
Next thing, you know, we'remaking it about giant muffin
heads or or really meaningfulones of they want to make
something lasting for theirfamily that they can hold on to.
It's like you know that arethat are kind of, you know,
intense, but half of the timetime they don't even know really
(15:25):
what they're creating until allof a sudden they get this end
result and it's like what theheck?
This sounds so good.
You know they have drums, theyhave pianos, they have and then
they see these animations thathave been created with, you know
, top level animators and andgetting all sorts of people
involved.
So it's just, um, yeah, so Idon't know if that necessarily
answers your answer, but answersyour question, but it it just
(15:46):
comes with years of practice andand genuine care for this
population and you just devotethat one-on-one focus.
And how often do we even havethat in a day where someone
genuinely is here sittinglistening to you and they
actually care about your ideas.
How often do we even get thatso to have that a lot of these
kids light up and and a lot ofthem have just, you know, they
(16:09):
have all day to other patientsall across the country.
So there's this service aspectand that actually creates a real
(16:29):
excitement in the kids becausethey start thinking, oh, I'm
going to make something, what'ssomething funny I could make,
that that would make another kidlaugh.
That's in the same situation.
BRANDI (16:36):
So um having that service aspect to the program is
has been like absolutelyamazing, has been like
absolutely amazing, and how manyum hospitals or clinics have
access to like all those, thosevideos and the games.
Yeah, I mean, it's anybodywho's on instagram.
JAMES (16:57):
If you have an instagram account, you have access, and we
have you know this massivenetwork.
BRANDI (17:02):
Yeah, because we're using augmented reality for some
of these games, because a lotof the games we're.
JAMES (17:04):
Some of these games Cause .
A lot of the games we'recreating they use head tracking,
um, because a lot of kids thatwe've worked with um, especially
in the brain tumor community.
They aren't able to play videogames anymore.
So, uh, we actually ended upusing augmented reality to to
which uses face tracking, andwe're able to create these video
games where the patient can atleast move their head left and
(17:24):
right and they can steer thecharacter, they open their mouth
and they can jump over thingsor so, yeah, so we find ways to
like use tools that people haveaccess to every day, but in
really creative ways yeah, oh, Ilove that.
BRANDI (17:41):
That's really good.
But so how long does it takefrom the time that you meet with
the kid?
Are you, is it one time, or isit like multiple times, that you
guys are going back and forthto create animation or the songs
or the game or whatever itmight be?
JAMES (17:56):
I try to work as fast as I can because unfortunately,
with this population, time is ofthe essence.
So I try to get things done, um, within a week.
Uh, sometimes it can take alittle longer when we have kind
of backed up um, but, andsometimes I can do it even
quicker and sometimes, you know,we've had to.
You know, there was a kid I wasworking with who was uh in the
(18:17):
hospital and and he was givenlike two weeks to live and then
I met him on the two-week markthis was the date where he was
supposed to not even be there.
And like, how do you even youknow that that room you walk in
and there's this weight andheaviness that you can't even
explain and it's, it's superscary for for the kids, for the
(18:39):
family.
You know they're like it couldbe any minute now, like how do
you even comprehend somethinglike that that your child is
going through?
Like it could be any minute now, like how do you even
comprehend something like thatthat your child is going through
?
And so next thing, you know, myjob is to bring light during
some of that dark, dark time andnext thing, you know, we start
connecting.
The parents are able to to be inthe room and like figure out
(19:00):
their plan, what they have to do.
And then, next thing, you know,we're me and this little dude
are jamming out about plan, whatthey have to do.
And then, next thing, you know,we're me and this little dude
are jamming out about, um, youknow, the thing that he loved
the most was, uh, the world'slargest tractor, which is called
big bud, which is the world'slargest tractor in Montana.
I knew nothing about tractors.
I know, neither did I.
And next thing you know, he'smaking the next country single
of the of the year.
(19:21):
Um, about this beautiful bigbud tractor and how he wanted to
drive it with his siblings andgoing collecting farm as the sun
sets and collecting corn.
It was just like beautiful andit totally distracted any
heaviness or any weight from allthat.
And, yeah, um, yeah, but thatwe had to work, everyone had to
pull in all, all, all hands ondeck and we got that with back
to him within, you know, 24hours and the family got to like
(19:43):
see him and his siblings likejust as cartoon characters.
You know, it was just, it wasbeautiful and hearing his song
and but anyway, so it can take along time.
But and then, um, you know,when we try to, when there's
kiddos that are that need thatextra boost, where we try to
bring their cartoon music videosto real life, that's where we
make these larger productionsand create props and bring the
(20:04):
massive communities together.
BRANDI (20:05):
Yeah, yes, and I want you to talk about that too,
because I mean, there are likebands and like whole productions
, like theater productions, andpeople that you have been able
to bring together and get themas excited as you are about
bringing these dreams to lifefor these kids.
(20:26):
But how do you do that?
That's another thing.
What is your secret?
Because I'm a people connectortoo, but you have just take it
to another level with being ableto bring the right people in
and invite them to be part ofthis with you.
JAMES (20:42):
Those are some of my most favorite things, because each
one is like an act of faith ofyou don't know where this is
going to go.
Um, cause you, you have thisidea of you want to bring this
patient's uh, imagination toreal life.
But it's like how do you dothat with?
You know, how do you make agiant, life-size muffin head, or
how do you make all thesethings?
You know, um, and so then youjust start knocking you know
(21:05):
what I mean.
You just start putting theleads out there and seeing what
sticks.
You get a lot of no's, but thenyou get a lot of yeses that are
like wow, this is so much morethan I could have ever imagined.
Honestly, it comes down tofaith and prayer.
Honestly, like all of the stuffthat I do would not work, and
some of these things arehonestly miraculous of like, wow
(21:28):
, this is no way we should beworking together with with this
person.
Or you know, I mean justrecently on our, our production
that we just are doing right now, I keep looking to the side
because I literally have thesegiant I literally have in my
office, like giant muffin headsstaring at me.
So it's like you know, there'sno way to really
explain actually what we're,what we're doing.
(21:48):
But you know, these were, thesewere created by you know seven
time Grammy winning designernamed Marina, who's in
California and just she, justamazing stuff.
And so like, yeah, we get towork with you know full marching
bands, the university ofMichigan marching band learn
patient song.
We had Rutgers universitylearned his song.
(22:09):
We have we've teamed up withopera singers, yeah, and all
these people, the people who sayyes, it's just absolutely
beautiful because you get theall the right people that are
all in.
You know, marina, when we had ameeting again, I had sent emails
to every single designer Icould find and I heard back from
nobody.
And then, uh, when the time wasright, months later happened to
(22:31):
get an email back, um, afterI'd gotten no's from all these
other plans that we were goingto do, um, and next thing, you
know she's like I'm so sorryjust seeing this.
We need to, we need to makethis happen.
Next thing, we hop on a callher and her team of designers
who they've made like theirprops that they make are like
for, like Marvel and you knowHollywood movies.
And next thing you know they'reworking their tails off to make
(22:52):
massive life-size muffin headsfor a patient who dreamed of
this wild story about these.
You know, burnt muffins thatturn into that save the day.
Yeah, there's all sorts of stuff.
You'll have to see the video onthat one.
I can't even explain how thatcomes out, but it was just like.
You know, you get all thesewonderful, wonderful, big
hearted people and I mean likeyou yourself.
(23:13):
You you've connected so manypeople and you understand how
important these kids are andit's like man, if you have a
tiny connection, uh, it's wortha knock.
And next thing, you know, we,yeah, it's just, yeah, it's
beautiful every time, but everytime it's an act of faith.
I'll be like huh, you know, Ihave a goal of how this is going
to happen and the results arealways the same of like it's
(23:35):
just beautiful for the family,the kid, the everybody I mean
everyone involved.
But yeah, it takes thatknocking.
BRANDI (23:49):
Yeah, for sure yeah.
Or like, like my husband alwayssays if you don't ask, you
don't get exactly.
JAMES (23:52):
But it's a hard ask.
Every time, like I'm like oncalls I'm like, so there's this
muffin, uh what?
And actually you know like whenthey say this, they're like,
yeah, this was the best thingwe've ever done in their whole
career.
You know like, we've hadcountless stories and we've
worked with, you know, the Fastand the Furious.
We've worked with the NightmareBefore Christmas movie
(24:13):
directors.
We've worked with, yeah, someof the most amazing folks have
come out and all to help make anunforgettable memory for a
child in need.
BRANDI (24:25):
Yeah, absolutely so.
Is there a video or a projectthat maybe you've recently
worked on, or I guess in thepast too?
That was just really extraspecial.
JAMES (24:36):
Yeah, I mean each one is is, each one is amazing and it
like I mean I have a.
I have a whole wall on theother side of me here of just
all little keepsakes that I tryto keep from each thing just
because it reminds me and,honestly, it keeps me thinking
of why I do this stuff and why Iwork so hard, because of the
(24:58):
patients who unfortunately arenot here anymore.
Yet we have so many videofootages and you can hear their
laughter when you watch thesevideos and it's like, if I get,
if we get that, if we get thecapture, the laughter in the
moments, it's like it's justabsolute gold.
And um, I mean one.
I mean one that just happenedrecently was for a little girl
(25:19):
named Kimber uh, and she'shaving a really hard time and
she is normally in a wheelchairor on crutches or you know,
because she's, she's goingthrough, you know, she's not
sure what's going on and howmuch time, and you know we
planned this whole event for her.
And next thing, you know shewas having so much fun that she
(25:40):
you know we designed it all tobe, like, wheelchair friendly
and accessible, just so that wayit's no pain or anything.
And she's like no way, I'm notgetting in that way.
Like no one could convince herto get in the wheelchair, she
was like she wanted to find allthese hidden clues that we had
all around.
We had three foot tall thingsof foam uh, you know,
glow-in-the-dark foam.
You know it was.
There was so much stuff um.
But yeah, when you get to seethat that joy come to fruition,
(26:04):
it's beautiful.
BRANDI (26:06):
Yeah, and so that one you took, like this whole
production team, broughteverything to her right.
JAMES (26:12):
Yeah, yeah, we had to pivot and pivot quickly and yeah
, we had like that was like planD, we had all these other plans
ahead of time and then you justhad to scrap all of it at a
last minute notice and she'slike let's go, everybody suit up
up, bring it to the.
(26:32):
We had her, her favorite nurse,actually end up suiting up in a
giant unicorn costume and gaveher all the clues we had hidden
around.
BRANDI (26:38):
It was, it was wild, so it was great.
But to your point, withKimber's video, I watched it a
couple times and there weretimes where you could see her
battle, but then you could seeher clearly.
Is was in a couple of thosespots, just not in a good place,
like you could see that painand that she was going through.
(27:15):
I can't imagine reallyconnecting with these kids Like
you form relationships with themand and you're really getting
to know them and also you'reseeing their joys and you're
also seeing that pain and I, I,what do you?
How do you?
What keeps you going throughthat?
(27:36):
When you're seeing these kidsin pain, like what, just what do
you tell yourself?
Um, I guess to like try to getthrough some of these hard times
, cause you probably feel likeyou're there, right there, with
the kid and the parent.
JAMES (27:49):
Oh, 100%.
And I mean you can only imaginewhat they're going through.
And my goal it just stays thesame of like, how can I bring a
little bit of laughter, a littlebit of joy, a little bit of wow
, you know?
And yeah, it is terrible.
There's a lot of, there's a lotof tears on our end over here.
Um, you know a lot of thevideos.
We focus on showing the positiveand showing the fun times
(28:11):
that's happening, but like,behind the scenes you know what
I mean You're bawling your eyesout because you get so close
with these families.
I mean we've been working withdifferent folks with you.
I mean even the patient that wejust the, that we were working
with to bring the muffin videoto life.
You know she had brain cancerand three days before our event
she passed away.
And then it's like you know,you're just shattered for their
(28:33):
family.
Um, and then you're like youknow, what are you prepared to
do now?
And next thing, you know herfamily reaches out and is just
like this means so much to usand it would be so much to amy.
So like is it okay if we couldjust watch from the sidelines?
And like, come, and it's justlike this means so much to us
and it would be so much to Amy.
So like, is it okay if we couldjust watch from the sidelines
and like, come and just watchhow you do your process?
And next thing, you know, therethe whole room is filled with
with tears and laughter.
(28:54):
I mean there's no way you cannot laugh and think of your
child when you're wearing agiant, you know muffin hat.
So it's just like it's's, it'sreally um, you know.
And then her brother ended upbeing the main star of the whole
video, wearing the thing helike suited up and like it was
actually a really healing partof the grief process and now it
preserves her legacy.
Everyone's talking about theirchild again and then, like
(29:16):
talking about them to theseplaces, um, because they're like
, why are you doing this, what'sthis?
And then you get to share thesestories of, of these incredible
kids, kids, and I guess, yeah,I mean one day that's why I work
so hard with children's cancerresearch I was like I want I
believe in their mission of youknow one day that there will be
a cure for childhood cancer youknow and and they fund all the
(29:37):
research that that is happeningwhich is going to find the cure.
And my program, my little cornerof it, is focused on in the
meantime, while all that's,while all the research is
happening and unfortunatelytakes a lot of time.
You know, in the meantime mygoal is to to bring that, that
legacy preservation part, bringthat fun, bring that positive
(29:58):
distraction while they're goingthrough.
But yeah, like I said, it's alot, it's a lot of tears, but
what keeps me going is, yeah,you just get so close with each
of the families, like there's noway that you can't do this, you
have to.
And, and you know my wife andour kids they're right, they're
right in it with me and they'rea great support system.
(30:18):
And then again, you know, tyingit all back to faith and prayer
and like that's honestly beenthe root of how I'm able to
continue and then to restartover and over and over again.
BRANDI (30:29):
Yeah, yeah Well, thank you for the work that you're
doing.
You are truly creating thelegacy of these kids for their
families, for them to have as asmemories, or just for these
kids to look back on somedaywhen they have survived, and say
that was a hard part in my lifeand I got through it and you
(30:55):
were a part of helping them getthrough that.
So, yeah, I think it's, it'sjust a wonderful thing.
I love the program.
So and I can't I'm I'm very sadnow to hear about amy, but I
really look forward to watchingher her video now whenever you
do release it.
And oh yeah, we'll make sure towhen this is released, we'll
(31:15):
link that up for sure.
JAMES (31:17):
So yeah, well, that's the thing too, like all these
videos are then used for moreawareness, more education about
pediatric cancer.
It's getting eyes of peoplethat childhood cancer isn't on
their radar, but now, all of asudden it is and it's reaching
them in a way that's totallyattention grabbing and it's fun
and joyful.
It's also hard, um, you know,but that's like and like how you
(31:37):
were raising money for the ourvirtual camp.
Uh, you know camp Norden thereas the virtual portion, it's for
all the kids who can't attendin-person camp.
We send them these beautifulboxes filled with activities and
they get these VR headsets andthey all get to meet each other.
And that's some of the mostbeautiful things.
That happens because all of asudden, these kids who are alone
(31:57):
and isolated in hospital rooms,now you're gaming, you're
having fun with these, you'regoing fishing with each other,
you're going, you know, and youjust kind of give them the tools
and watch them run and watchthem like just light up, because
some of these kids they weresaying they haven't played with
another kid, um, in person forlike three years, you know,
cause they're soimmunocompromised, and it's like
Whoa, but now you don't even,you don't even realize that
(32:19):
you're playing laser tag.
You're playing whatever youknow, and and we're teaching
them too, like during that camp,we're teaching them how to do
3d modeling, how do they designtheir own custom nike shoes that
get sent to them and like.
BRANDI (32:31):
There's all sorts of like you saw that?
JAMES (32:33):
yeah, I know I did so and they all get to work together
and like.
And to that point, amy, thatthe, the, the girl who had
passed on, she was part of thecamp and she, like, made a
massive impact on all the othercampers because she was such a
light, even though she was goingthrough such hard things and
she had brain cancer so it hadtaken away a lot of her ability
to use, uh, one side of her body, so she was having trouble.
(32:56):
One time, she, she was tryingto figure out how to play this
thing with everyone and nextthing, you know, everyone's just
.
All the other kids are likebound together with her, like,
no, amy, amy, you got this, likethis is how you do it.
And they're all coaching eachother.
And the next thing, you know,amy's figured it out and she's
flying.
She's all learned how to fly,she's flying.
BRANDI (33:11):
Yeah.
JAMES (33:12):
She's flying all around.
Yeah, and it was just, it wasbeautiful.
And then, same to that point ofthose, those custom shoes,
ended up showing up to her houseand she was so excited about
what she created with all of hernew friends, even though it was
all virtual.
She ends up getting those shoeson.
And this girl, she hadn't beenable to walk in like two years.
And the mom showed the video ofher walking again and like
(33:36):
taking those steps, and it'slike, oh wow, like that that
served as a catalyst, for thatpositive distraction can take
away a little bit of the painbecause there's a greater thing
after it.
And it's like that's exactlywhat we're trying to do is we
provide those positivedistractions to uh and creative
outlets to bring a little bit ofthat pain, um pain, away.
BRANDI (33:56):
So, anyway, sorry for the rant.
No, that's great, that's whatwe.
I love hearing those things andthat's what this is about.
So sharing that for advocacyyeah, I'm so glad you brought up
that it's.
It's for the families and stufftoo, but is it is so much as
about advocacy as well, so toget other people involved with
children's cancer research thathave not been exposed to it
(34:18):
Otherwise?
It's just a different format ordifferent way for exposure.
So well, I want to like ask youa serious question, james.
I watch these videos of you andthe kiddos and I just can't
help but think though who'shaving more fun?
You are the kids.
JAMES (34:36):
I know it is a, it is um, it is a lot of fun.
You know we get to.
You know we have to, we have todive in and we have to.
You know we get to.
You know we have to, we have todive in and we have to.
You know if, if I can have funin this, I can, I have to put
myself in the situation so thatway I can make sure that this is
going to be good for um, forfor who we're working with.
You know, um, but you know it'sall just focused on on on that
(35:00):
individual child and stuff LikeI.
I never had any of this stuffon my radar.
You know I never thought aboutdrift car racing or riding on
penguins or dancing around in amuffin head, you know like
that's never on my radar ofthings to do, but it just it's
all about focusing on, like youknow, how much fun and silliness
can we bring to to this childand what's their interests.
And then yeah, and then youhave to fully commit to this
(35:24):
thing.
You know, you have to fullycommit to running around a
five-star resort wearing thatmassive, you know, muffin.
Yeah, and it's contagious,though.
You know what I mean.
If you can have fun, then theycan have fun, and there's no way
you can't.
When you see them lighting upand having a blast, it's like,
oh, this is great, but it's alot.
It's like, oh, this is this isgreat, but it's it's, it's a lot
(35:46):
.
It's a lot of hard things thatpeople don't see.
You know, even just planningthese, these are all like
massive events that we're tryingto plan with our, you know, in
record timing and pulling justthe unthinkable together.
And when you watch some ofthese videos, you can, you can
kind of see it and feel it.
(36:06):
But that's the goal.
Yeah, we bring the fun andinherently you can't not feel
the fun in doing so, andhopefully that that transpires
when you're watching the videos.
Hopefully you feel the joy, buthopefully you also feel the
weight of what we're doing.
BRANDI (36:19):
So, yeah, yeah, well, they say laughter is the best
medicine, and in this case itseems like it is for these kids
(36:48):
no-transcript fun that sheliterally gets up and stands and
starts smashing through thethings and doing her game, and
it was beautiful.
JAMES (36:58):
And next thing, you know, like we're all trying not to
cry, you know, like her causethey haven't seen her stand like
that again, but it was likeexactly what happened.
You brought that silliness andlaughter.
I mean, she was riding down amountain on the back of a llama,
collecting pancakes was herthing, and she was having so
much fun in that that she, youknow she was standing and that's
the last footage that we haveof of of her.
(37:18):
And you know she has siblingsand a little sister and and you
know, um, yeah, now, the family,they can, they, they would send
me messages of, they, theywould play her song every single
morning, but her little sisterwould would ask to hear her, her
, her, her song, um, everysingle morning, um, before she
went to school.
And you can hear her, hersister's, laughing and singing
(37:40):
about, writing on the back of,uh, whatever, collecting
pancakes.
And it was like, you know, justso that we can hear her voice
again.
It's like, oh my gosh, andthat's exactly what needs to
happen.
I would love to be not doingthis anymore.
I would love to one day.
All these cures are happeningand I can just do something else
.
I would love to not see and bein these really hard situations
(38:04):
with kids who are fighting sohard.
So that's where my hope is withChildren's Cancer Research Fund
, and I appreciate all youradvocacy and all your
fundraising that you've done,and even this podcast
challenging people to make animpact.
I think it's just amazing andit's exactly what needs to
happen, because each one of ustake our little gifts and skills
and and look at what can happenfrom that.
(38:26):
You know.
BRANDI (38:29):
Yes, yep, exactly, and that's what I I want to know,
like, if you're for people outthere, what's your advice for
how they can put their gifts andtheir skills to use to make an
impact, like you have?
What would your advice be?
JAMES (38:42):
Yeah, I would.
I think it comes down to use,to make an impact like you have.
What would your advice be?
Yeah, I would.
I think it comes down to likeseeing people, like seeing needs
and then taking action on thoseneeds.
So, like you know, the peoplethat I saw that there was, you
know, pediatric cancer, it's aterrible, terrible thing, a
terrible group of that's whatthey're going through.
And then it's like, okay, well,how can we make a positive
(39:04):
impact in that?
And then you just startself-assessing what am I good at
?
What can I?
I like to doodle, I like to.
And next thing, you know, itstarts creating this massive
thing and this whole undergroundprogram and that that's a
little grandiose.
But I would.
I almost think that that mottoof seeing people and taking
action, I think that can beapplied to anyone.
It doesn't have to be a largescaled program and stuff.
(39:26):
It can be just you helping yourneighbor, you helping a certain
population group.
I think that's really important.
And even saying, yes, if youget a call from somebody talking
about a muffin head and thenneeding help, you'd be like, oh,
actually I can connect you withthis, I know this for it, I
know that.
And then you know that's a formof using your gifts um to make
(39:50):
a positive impact and it's likeyeah.
So I think, saying yes, seeingpeople taking action big or
small ways, I think all thatstuff ripples effects.
I mean again, then none of thisstuff was even on my radar when
I was, when I was growing up,you know, before I was doing
this, I was going to be a secretagent.
That was like what I was,that's what I was trained to do,
that's what I was like I wasgoing to save the world from bad
(40:12):
.
You know I was.
I was knowing my exits,memorizing all sorts of crazy
things.
And then, yeah, I just had adifferent plan after I had
gotten a severe brain injury andthen learned that all of a
sudden, I could make braininjury and then learned that all
of a sudden, I could make youknow silly songs.
I had to relearn how to talkagain, you know.
So there's a whole wild journeythat got me to to hear but, um,
yeah, so you never know whatwhat, uh, your gifts will be?
BRANDI (40:35):
Um, yeah, so yeah, well, I'm glad that you have these
gifts and you're sharing themwith Children's Cancer Research
Fund and the families that arein this fight.
So, yes, because I too believethat one day there's going to be
no cancer.
We don't want our kids to gothrough this.
We want them to live long andhealthy lives.
So, james, thanks again forbeing here and sharing what
(41:00):
you're doing.
Where can people watch allthese amazing videos that you've
just shared?
JAMES (41:06):
with us.
Yeah, well, thank you forhaving me.
It's been a blast and hopefully, uh, yeah, you almost need to
watch some of these videos afterthis, so that way you really
understand what in the worldwe're talking about.
Uh, and the easiest way is togo to children's cancer research
uh fund and you can find ourour big dreams program, uh, with
them and you can watch some ofthe some of the videos.
But then there's also onInstagram is where it's most
(41:27):
active.
It's called lad in a battle andor on the children's cancer
research fund page, and you'llsee our stuff popping up there
all the time of, yeah, some ofthese just larger than life
productions and pure joy duringreally difficult times.
So, yeah, you gotta.
You gotta hear some of thesesongs.
I mean these fair warning.
So, yeah, you got to hear someof these songs.
I mean fair warning.
I mean these songs will getstuck in your head Like the
(41:49):
songs that these kids arecreating they're not just silly
little things.
These are like, these are hits.
So you're moving, warren.
BRANDI (41:57):
That's right.
Thanks for the warning.
So all right.
Well, thanks, james.
JAMES (42:02):
Thank you, brandy, good seeing you and yeah, we'll see
you on the next event.
BRANDI (42:09):
You've been listening to Act to Impact with Brandy
DeVries.
If this show ignited your fireand inspired you to take action
to make an impact, please sharethis episode with a friend,
leave a five-star review orwrite a review to let others
know how the show impacted you.
I can't wait to see the actionyou are taking to make an impact
(42:31):
and I'd love for you to sharethat with our community.
Go ahead and tag me on socialmedia as you are out making an
impact in the world.
Do you have a story to shareand want to be a guest on Act to
Impact?
I'd love to connect with you.
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine a world where
childhood cancer doesn't meanhospital rooms and treatments,
but wild adventures ranging fromdrift car racing to rideable
robot penguins, giant muffinheads.
That sounds impossible, right?
(00:22):
Well, not if you're James Origo.
As an award-winning creativedirector and the founder and
mastermind behind the Big Dreamsprogram at Children's Cancer
Research Fund, james turns theextraordinary imagination of
kids battling cancer intounforgettable, larger-than-life
realities.
(00:42):
His mission is more than justbringing joy, laughter and a
creative outlet to kids andteens.
It's about creating lastinglegacies and powerful
distractions for families facingthe unimaginable.
Let's get ready to be inspired,uplifted and maybe even a
little teary-eyed.
(01:03):
I am so excited to welcome theone and only James to Act to
Impact.
You're listening to Act toImpact with Brandi DeVries
Through heartfelt stories ofresilience, hope and community.
I share my personal experienceas a longtime advocate and
fundraiser for the nationalnonprofit Children's Cancer
(01:26):
Research Fund.
Invite pediatric cancerfamilies to tell their stories
and highlight individuals whouse their unique gifts to create
a positive impact.
It's time to Ignite Action.
JAMES (01:41):
Thanks, brandi, thanks for having me.
BRANDI (01:43):
Well, welcome James to ACT to Impact, and I'm Brandy
DeVries and I'm chatting withJames.
Like I said, he's very talentedand creative.
I can't wait for us to all hearmore about his work.
But first I want to thank youfor watching and listening with
us.
In this show, we take actionand my guess is that you're
(02:04):
watching or listening.
You're probably here becauseyou're an action taker or you
want to learn more about how youcan take action in your life
and community, and click thefollow button, like this episode
(02:28):
, leave us a five-star review orleave a comment that helps us
reach more action takers likeyourself.
So, all right, james, let'sdive into talking about how we
know each other, how we becameconnected, why you're on ACT to
Impact and, as we said in yourintroduction, you're involved
with Children's Cancer ResearchFund with one of their programs,
and that's how we're connected.
(02:50):
I've been involved withChildren's Cancer Research Fund
for over eight years and that'show I was introduced to the Big
Dreams program and also thevirtual Camp Norden component
that you've put together as well.
So we initially met in at Dream2023 when you were there,
because you had that cool likevirtual VR set that the guests
(03:13):
and attendees could kind of geta glimpse of, because that's, if
I remember correctly, that iswhat you were doing with the
virtual Camp Norton component.
The kids were having that VRcomponent the ones that weren't
able to come and spend time atcamp and so we had initially,
like, met there very briefly youprobably don't even remember me
(03:35):
with all the people there andstuff that night, but prior to
that I had, with SOAR leadershipcouncil, we were supporting
raising money and raising fundsfor Camp Norton and for the
virtual Camp Norton, and soMindy Dykes had come on and
talked to us about the work thatyou were doing with that and
(03:57):
yeah, it was just such acreative way and I've been
following it ever since becauseI just think it's the coolest
thing for these kids.
So yeah.
And one thing too.
It's just I don't.
Either I don't remember hearingthis background, or it was
never brought up in any of ourconversations with Mindy or when
(04:20):
we were talking about bigdreams in Camp Norton before.
But do you have a directconnection to childhood cancer
that prompted you to getinvolved with CCRF?
JAMES (04:30):
So not not directly with childhood cancer, but my mom she
had.
Unfortunately she had terminalcancer.
So all growing up, you knowyou're always in and out of the
hospitals and seeing howdevastating these news.
You know that some of thedoctors give you and you know
you're always in and out of thehospitals and seeing how
devastating these news.
You know that some of thedoctors give you and you know
how you're supposed to deal with.
You know you only have a coupleof weeks left to live, or a few
(04:52):
months.
You know there's just some hardstuff that unfortunately, this
cancer community understandsmore than others.
So being a caregiver was such abeautiful opportunity to you
know, just be there for my momand help her with different
things, and one of those thingsthat I found was the most
helpful was bringing thatpositive distraction.
So, as time had gone on and shehad ended up passing on, that
(05:19):
was served as kind of like thiscatalyst of what we end up doing
today.
You know, and going through thepain with her is actually what
sparked the passion to be ableto make me more of an expert at
what I do today.
And it's just, yeah, it's beenamazing, you know, and
unfortunately, my mom.
You know she only after she hadpassed.
You only have a few voice memosfrom her, a few videos, and you
(05:40):
realize that, like man, I wishI had more audio recordings,
because you forget the sound ofa voice.
So that ended up sparking awhole whirlwind of an adventure
to see how can we bring this joyand distraction and legacy
preservation in a fun and sillyway with.
You know, it's one thing to seean adult go through this stuff,
but it's a whole nother thingwhen you're there with some
(06:01):
patients that are children.
You know that just it's awful.
So, yeah, and then that sparkeda whole, a whole whirlwind of
of incredible opportunities.
And you know, we use, we bringsilliness and joy and we and
technology to to the to patients, right at their bedside.
We help them create cartoonmusic videos, you know, custom
video games, larger than lifeproductions, and it's just to
(06:24):
kind of show them that you knowthey're not alone in their fight
and that there's wholecommunities rooting for them.
And, yeah, and just to givethem a creative outlet and that
positive distraction, becausethat's exactly what you need.
And hopefully all the kids Iwork with live for as long as
you know, until 110 would beamazing, but unfortunately the
reality of some of the work thatI get brought into.
(06:45):
That's not the case, and so, atthe end of the day, these
families get to have thesepositive videos and songs and
games that their kids havecreated that they can press play
again, hear their voice againover and over, and that's
invaluable.
BRANDI (07:01):
Yeah, yep, absolutely so .
Did you bring the idea that youjust described to Children's
Cancer Research Fund, or didthey find you?
JAMES (07:10):
Yeah.
So my wife and I, we startedthis program back in 2015 and we
started it, yeah, and juststarted running.
You know, we started working.
Nothing was being done likethat before, using animation and
these custom videos and songs,all sorts of stuff and games.
So, yeah, we started in 2015and we brought it to hospitals
(07:31):
all over the country.
I worked at the top children'shospitals all over the nation,
got involved with.
Google was our first sponsor,which is kind of fun and we
traveled the US in a little MiniCooper wrapped in cartoons and
bringing joy and distraction,and it totally worked.
And then, as time went on, wehoned in our process even more
and more and it eventually gotto the level where, um, yeah, I
(07:53):
saw, uh, zach Sobiak's um videoand clouds and it just Ooh, it
just rippled through your heart,um, and I wanted to thank his
mom, uh, zach's mom, lauraSobiak.
I wanted to thank his mom,zach's mom, laura Sobiak.
I wanted to thank her, um, justbecause he touched my heart and
and he, he served as a catalystfor me to do what I do today as
well, and so I just wrote her apersonal thank you note.
(08:14):
Um, and long story short, thosepaths crossed and got to have
dinner with their family andjust, uh, just incredible.
And they've gotten to come tosome of the events where we're
filming, you know, giant turtlesand Lamborghinis and all sorts
of wild imaginative things thatthese patients come up with.
And, yeah, and then that teamedup with Children's Cancer
(08:36):
Research Fund, because they werelike, oh, this is awesome.
Like you see that as a familyservice program like this is
bringing so much joy andlaughter in times where there's
not that, um, that it is just,it's one of a kind and, yeah,
it's, it's been a beautifulpartnership and relationship, um
, with Children's CancerResearch Fund, and now we've
been able to, you know, take ityear after year to just next
(08:58):
level.
Um, and it's been, it's beenawesome.
And again, the fun thing is youdon't know what experience is
going to come up.
You know you just dive right inwith the, with the child, and
and see what they're interestedin the most and what their
imagination comes up with, andit is so wild of a journey every
single time.
BRANDI (09:16):
Yeah, so going back to when you first started this, was
it always called big dreamstour, or has that name evolved,
or?
Or how did you guys determinelike, this is what it's going to
be?
JAMES (09:29):
Yeah, that's it.
Yeah, it really evolved to that, because it just turned into
yeah, you want to help peopledream big, um, especially, um,
these kids, uh, who are confinedto a hospital room or on
hospice.
You know, you want to.
Time is such a such a fleetingthing and life is such a
precious gift, so we just wantedpeople to to dream big, and and
(09:50):
then we try to help thosedreams come to reality.
You know, and sometimes thosedreams aren't even what you're
expecting.
You know you're, if you're akid, you're not expecting to
make a song about riding on theback of a mechanical penguin and
drift car around a zoo, butnext thing, you know, that ends
up turning into a reality.
And then they have thisbeautiful, beautiful moment with
(10:12):
their family where they'reliterally riding on the back of
drivable drift car penguinsthrough the Detroit Zoo penguin
exhibits, like collecting rarecards.
It was absolutely beautiful.
So, yeah, and and then that thatthat name has just continued to
evolve and we we switched it tobig dreams, virtual tour, um,
(10:32):
when it um, when covid hit,everything shut down, you
weren't allowed in hospitals oranything like that, so normally
we would be bedside um with thepatients, but we had to pivot,
and so you just look at that asa unique opportunity.
So we started figuring out howwe could utilize Zoom and make,
you know, meeting online morefun and engaging, instead of
(10:53):
just a boring Zoom call.
So, next thing, you know, we'redoing the 3D modeling over the
screen.
We're doing, you know, all thisstuff that's super immersive
and it ended up having such animpact that it ended up winning
all of Zoom's overall innovationaward.
For, you know, when COVID washappening and everyone was using
Zoom, we were using it in a waythat was so meaningful and,
(11:15):
yeah, so we'd meet on Zoom andthen we'd send them a VR headset
, like you had mentioned.
And we now, all of a sudden,now we could bring them up to
the moon or surround them withdinosaurs and puppeteer.
You know a wild scene of allsorts of things.
They could ride on the back ofa whale if they wanted, you know
, and then we'd premiere theirmusic video in virtual reality
and it just serves that totalescape from the hospital walls.
(11:38):
You know, it's like took you toa whole nother place and their
families are just having a blastseeing their kids like light up
you to a whole nother place andtheir families are just having
a blast seeing their kids likelight up.
BRANDI (11:46):
Um, yeah, and that's yeah Thinking about.
They're like, for once they can, they can have something else
to think about and look forwardto, other than like when their
next appointment is or whenthey're going to get poked again
and that they're in control.
JAMES (11:59):
You know what I mean.
It's not my ideas, it's notanything, it's, it's, it's what,
what you say goes, let's seewhere it takes us, and, and you
know, and I can help hone it,but it's like, you know, how
often do you as a, as a childwho's getting poked and prodded,
and what you can't eat, whatyou can't um, it's like whoa, I
have full control of something.
You know what do I want tocreate?
And it leads to things that arejust incredible.
BRANDI (12:21):
Yeah, walk me through us , through that process of when
there is a kiddo that you'reintroduced to and you're, or
you're reaching out to them andsaying, hey, I get to bring your
wildest dreams to life.
Like, what's that process?
Like, how do you initially havethat conversation?
And because I'm very curious,like how you get them to open up
(12:44):
so that you can make theirdreams come to life through the
games and the sounds and theanimation, right, because they
don't know you, right, and soit's like you clearly, though,
have a gift to get them to openup through your process as well,
but I'm curious, like, yeah,what's what do you go through
with them so to get, andeventually, to that end result,
(13:05):
because the videos are so cool,but it clearly there's a lot
that goes into it there's nolike planned formula or script,
because it has to be fluid andit has to be genuine and it has
to just kind of work with eachkid and and yeah, this comes
with years of practice um, youknow, being in situations that
(13:26):
are unbelievably challenging,like if someone came up to you
and be like, oh, tell me yourwildest dream.
JAMES (13:30):
Like you wouldn't even know what to at least I wouldn't
even know what I would talkabout, you know.
So we don't put any pressure on, like you know, because that
can almost be overwhelming.
I'm like, whoa, you can pickanything and do anything.
Well, what is it, you know?
Um, so we just kind of startwith just getting to know them
and just start just chattingwith them and their family and
like seeing what, what clicks,and and once you see what makes
(13:52):
them laugh and you get thislittle like spark in each, in
each patient we've worked with.
It's like, oh, okay, this is,this is the way, this is where
we're going.
And you know and I I've donethis in so many different
situations that it's really it'shoned in the craft.
I mean, like I said, we wouldbe making songs with and videos
with kids who are super outgoingand are so jazzed up, excited
(14:16):
to do this.
And then there's other kidswe've worked with where they're
terrified of singing.
They don't even know I don'teven sing, you know.
And next thing you know they'remaking this smash hit country
song or something you know, likewhoa, I didn't even know I
could do that, you know.
And then you know, and thenwe've worked with kids that are
like totally nonverbal, you know, from brain tumors, and they
(14:36):
can't speak and and yet you'restill able to dig out and find
that spark of what makes themlaugh.
You know, I was working with apatient one time.
They can only communicate withtheir eyes, you know.
And next thing, you know,you're still bringing this
silliness and joy and they'relighting up strictly with eyes,
you know.
It's like, so you're just givingthat one-on-one attention and
really just really taking thattime to enjoy this person, you
(15:03):
know, and enjoy their ideas andsee what they can create.
And so, yeah, so we just start,I mean and again it can be
anything, it's from.
Next thing, you know, we'remaking it about giant muffin
heads or or really meaningfulones of they want to make
something lasting for theirfamily that they can hold on to.
It's like you know that arethat are kind of, you know,
intense, but half of the timetime they don't even know really
(15:25):
what they're creating until allof a sudden they get this end
result and it's like what theheck?
This sounds so good.
You know they have drums, theyhave pianos, they have and then
they see these animations thathave been created with, you know
, top level animators and andgetting all sorts of people
involved.
So it's just, um, yeah, so Idon't know if that necessarily
answers your answer, but answersyour question, but it it just
(15:46):
comes with years of practice andand genuine care for this
population and you just devotethat one-on-one focus.
And how often do we even havethat in a day where someone
genuinely is here sittinglistening to you and they
actually care about your ideas.
How often do we even get thatso to have that a lot of these
kids light up and and a lot ofthem have just, you know, they
(16:09):
have all day to other patientsall across the country.
So there's this service aspectand that actually creates a real
(16:29):
excitement in the kids becausethey start thinking, oh, I'm
going to make something, what'ssomething funny I could make,
that that would make another kidlaugh.
That's in the same situation.
BRANDI (16:36):
So um having that service aspect to the program is
has been like absolutelyamazing, has been like
absolutely amazing, and how manyum hospitals or clinics have
access to like all those, thosevideos and the games.
Yeah, I mean, it's anybodywho's on instagram.
JAMES (16:57):
If you have an instagram account, you have access, and we
have you know this massivenetwork.
BRANDI (17:02):
Yeah, because we're using augmented reality for some
of these games, because a lotof the games we're.
JAMES (17:04):
Some of these games Cause .
A lot of the games we'recreating they use head tracking,
um, because a lot of kids thatwe've worked with um, especially
in the brain tumor community.
They aren't able to play videogames anymore.
So, uh, we actually ended upusing augmented reality to to
which uses face tracking, andwe're able to create these video
games where the patient can atleast move their head left and
(17:24):
right and they can steer thecharacter, they open their mouth
and they can jump over thingsor so, yeah, so we find ways to
like use tools that people haveaccess to every day, but in
really creative ways yeah, oh, Ilove that.
BRANDI (17:41):
That's really good.
But so how long does it takefrom the time that you meet with
the kid?
Are you, is it one time, or isit like multiple times, that you
guys are going back and forthto create animation or the songs
or the game or whatever itmight be?
JAMES (17:56):
I try to work as fast as I can because unfortunately,
with this population, time is ofthe essence.
So I try to get things done, um, within a week.
Uh, sometimes it can take alittle longer when we have kind
of backed up um, but, andsometimes I can do it even
quicker and sometimes, you know,we've had to.
You know, there was a kid I wasworking with who was uh in the
(18:17):
hospital and and he was givenlike two weeks to live and then
I met him on the two-week markthis was the date where he was
supposed to not even be there.
And like, how do you even youknow that that room you walk in
and there's this weight andheaviness that you can't even
explain and it's, it's superscary for for the kids, for the
(18:39):
family.
You know they're like it couldbe any minute now, like how do
you even comprehend somethinglike that that your child is
going through?
Like it could be any minute now, like how do you even
comprehend something like thatthat your child is going through
?
And so next thing, you know, myjob is to bring light during
some of that dark, dark time andnext thing, you know, we start
connecting.
The parents are able to to be inthe room and like figure out
(19:00):
their plan, what they have to do.
And then, next thing, you know,we're me and this little dude
are jamming out about plan, whatthey have to do.
And then, next thing, you know,we're me and this little dude
are jamming out about, um, youknow, the thing that he loved
the most was, uh, the world'slargest tractor, which is called
big bud, which is the world'slargest tractor in Montana.
I knew nothing about tractors.
I know, neither did I.
And next thing you know, he'smaking the next country single
of the of the year.
(19:21):
Um, about this beautiful bigbud tractor and how he wanted to
drive it with his siblings andgoing collecting farm as the sun
sets and collecting corn.
It was just like beautiful andit totally distracted any
heaviness or any weight from allthat.
And, yeah, um, yeah, but thatwe had to work, everyone had to
pull in all, all, all hands ondeck and we got that with back
to him within, you know, 24hours and the family got to like
(19:43):
see him and his siblings likejust as cartoon characters.
You know, it was just, it wasbeautiful and hearing his song
and but anyway, so it can take along time.
But and then, um, you know,when we try to, when there's
kiddos that are that need thatextra boost, where we try to
bring their cartoon music videosto real life, that's where we
make these larger productionsand create props and bring the
(20:04):
massive communities together.
BRANDI (20:05):
Yeah, yes, and I want you to talk about that too,
because I mean, there are likebands and like whole productions
, like theater productions, andpeople that you have been able
to bring together and get themas excited as you are about
bringing these dreams to lifefor these kids.
(20:26):
But how do you do that?
That's another thing.
What is your secret?
Because I'm a people connectortoo, but you have just take it
to another level with being ableto bring the right people in
and invite them to be part ofthis with you.
JAMES (20:42):
Those are some of my most favorite things, because each
one is like an act of faith ofyou don't know where this is
going to go.
Um, cause you, you have thisidea of you want to bring this
patient's uh, imagination toreal life.
But it's like how do you dothat with?
You know, how do you make agiant, life-size muffin head, or
how do you make all thesethings?
You know, um, and so then youjust start knocking you know
(21:05):
what I mean.
You just start putting theleads out there and seeing what
sticks.
You get a lot of no's, but thenyou get a lot of yeses that are
like wow, this is so much morethan I could have ever imagined.
Honestly, it comes down tofaith and prayer.
Honestly, like all of the stuffthat I do would not work, and
some of these things arehonestly miraculous of like, wow
(21:28):
, this is no way we should beworking together with with this
person.
Or you know, I mean justrecently on our, our production
that we just are doing right now, I keep looking to the side
because I literally have thesegiant I literally have in my
office, like giant muffin headsstaring at me.
So it's like you know, there'sno way to really
explain actually what we're,what we're doing.
(21:48):
But you know, these were, thesewere created by you know seven
time Grammy winning designernamed Marina, who's in
California and just she, justamazing stuff.
And so like, yeah, we get towork with you know full marching
bands, the university ofMichigan marching band learn
patient song.
We had Rutgers universitylearned his song.
(22:09):
We have we've teamed up withopera singers, yeah, and all
these people, the people who sayyes, it's just absolutely
beautiful because you get theall the right people that are
all in.
You know, marina, when we had ameeting again, I had sent emails
to every single designer Icould find and I heard back from
nobody.
And then, uh, when the time wasright, months later happened to
(22:31):
get an email back, um, afterI'd gotten no's from all these
other plans that we were goingto do, um, and next thing, you
know she's like I'm so sorryjust seeing this.
We need to, we need to makethis happen.
Next thing, we hop on a callher and her team of designers
who they've made like theirprops that they make are like
for, like Marvel and you knowHollywood movies.
And next thing you know they'reworking their tails off to make
(22:52):
massive life-size muffin headsfor a patient who dreamed of
this wild story about these.
You know, burnt muffins thatturn into that save the day.
Yeah, there's all sorts of stuff.
You'll have to see the video onthat one.
I can't even explain how thatcomes out, but it was just like.
You know, you get all thesewonderful, wonderful, big
hearted people and I mean likeyou yourself.
(23:13):
You you've connected so manypeople and you understand how
important these kids are andit's like man, if you have a
tiny connection, uh, it's wortha knock.
And next thing, you know, we,yeah, it's just, yeah, it's
beautiful every time, but everytime it's an act of faith.
I'll be like huh, you know, Ihave a goal of how this is going
to happen and the results arealways the same of like it's
(23:35):
just beautiful for the family,the kid, the everybody I mean
everyone involved.
But yeah, it takes thatknocking.
BRANDI (23:49):
Yeah, for sure yeah.
Or like, like my husband alwayssays if you don't ask, you
don't get exactly.
JAMES (23:52):
But it's a hard ask.
Every time, like I'm like oncalls I'm like, so there's this
muffin, uh what?
And actually you know like whenthey say this, they're like,
yeah, this was the best thingwe've ever done in their whole
career.
You know like, we've hadcountless stories and we've
worked with, you know, the Fastand the Furious.
We've worked with the NightmareBefore Christmas movie
(24:13):
directors.
We've worked with, yeah, someof the most amazing folks have
come out and all to help make anunforgettable memory for a
child in need.
BRANDI (24:25):
Yeah, absolutely so.
Is there a video or a projectthat maybe you've recently
worked on, or I guess in thepast too?
That was just really extraspecial.
JAMES (24:36):
Yeah, I mean each one is is, each one is amazing and it
like I mean I have a.
I have a whole wall on theother side of me here of just
all little keepsakes that I tryto keep from each thing just
because it reminds me and,honestly, it keeps me thinking
of why I do this stuff and why Iwork so hard, because of the
(24:58):
patients who unfortunately arenot here anymore.
Yet we have so many videofootages and you can hear their
laughter when you watch thesevideos and it's like, if I get,
if we get that, if we get thecapture, the laughter in the
moments, it's like it's justabsolute gold.
And um, I mean one.
I mean one that just happenedrecently was for a little girl
(25:19):
named Kimber uh, and she'shaving a really hard time and
she is normally in a wheelchairor on crutches or you know,
because she's, she's goingthrough, you know, she's not
sure what's going on and howmuch time, and you know we
planned this whole event for her.
And next thing, you know shewas having so much fun that she
(25:40):
you know we designed it all tobe, like, wheelchair friendly
and accessible, just so that wayit's no pain or anything.
And she's like no way, I'm notgetting in that way.
Like no one could convince herto get in the wheelchair, she
was like she wanted to find allthese hidden clues that we had
all around.
We had three foot tall thingsof foam uh, you know,
glow-in-the-dark foam.
You know it was.
There was so much stuff um.
But yeah, when you get to seethat that joy come to fruition,
(26:04):
it's beautiful.
BRANDI (26:06):
Yeah, and so that one you took, like this whole
production team, broughteverything to her right.
JAMES (26:12):
Yeah, yeah, we had to pivot and pivot quickly and yeah
, we had like that was like planD, we had all these other plans
ahead of time and then you justhad to scrap all of it at a
last minute notice and she'slike let's go, everybody suit up
up, bring it to the.
(26:32):
We had her, her favorite nurse,actually end up suiting up in a
giant unicorn costume and gaveher all the clues we had hidden
around.
BRANDI (26:38):
It was, it was wild, so it was great.
But to your point, withKimber's video, I watched it a
couple times and there weretimes where you could see her
battle, but then you could seeher clearly.
Is was in a couple of thosespots, just not in a good place,
like you could see that painand that she was going through.
(27:15):
I can't imagine reallyconnecting with these kids Like
you form relationships with themand and you're really getting
to know them and also you'reseeing their joys and you're
also seeing that pain and I, I,what do you?
How do you?
What keeps you going throughthat?
(27:36):
When you're seeing these kidsin pain, like what, just what do
you tell yourself?
Um, I guess to like try to getthrough some of these hard times
, cause you probably feel likeyou're there, right there, with
the kid and the parent.
JAMES (27:49):
Oh, 100%.
And I mean you can only imaginewhat they're going through.
And my goal it just stays thesame of like, how can I bring a
little bit of laughter, a littlebit of joy, a little bit of wow
, you know?
And yeah, it is terrible.
There's a lot of, there's a lotof tears on our end over here.
Um, you know a lot of thevideos.
We focus on showing the positiveand showing the fun times
(28:11):
that's happening, but like,behind the scenes you know what
I mean You're bawling your eyesout because you get so close
with these families.
I mean we've been working withdifferent folks with you.
I mean even the patient that wejust the, that we were working
with to bring the muffin videoto life.
You know she had brain cancerand three days before our event
she passed away.
And then it's like you know,you're just shattered for their
(28:33):
family.
Um, and then you're like youknow, what are you prepared to
do now?
And next thing, you know herfamily reaches out and is just
like this means so much to usand it would be so much to amy.
So like is it okay if we couldjust watch from the sidelines?
And like, come, and it's justlike this means so much to us
and it would be so much to Amy.
So like, is it okay if we couldjust watch from the sidelines
and like, come and just watchhow you do your process?
And next thing, you know, therethe whole room is filled with
with tears and laughter.
(28:54):
I mean there's no way you cannot laugh and think of your
child when you're wearing agiant, you know muffin hat.
So it's just like it's's, it'sreally um, you know.
And then her brother ended upbeing the main star of the whole
video, wearing the thing helike suited up and like it was
actually a really healing partof the grief process and now it
preserves her legacy.
Everyone's talking about theirchild again and then, like
(29:16):
talking about them to theseplaces, um, because they're like
, why are you doing this, what'sthis?
And then you get to share thesestories of, of these incredible
kids, kids, and I guess, yeah,I mean one day that's why I work
so hard with children's cancerresearch I was like I want I
believe in their mission of youknow one day that there will be
a cure for childhood cancer youknow and and they fund all the
(29:37):
research that that is happeningwhich is going to find the cure.
And my program, my little cornerof it, is focused on in the
meantime, while all that's,while all the research is
happening and unfortunatelytakes a lot of time.
You know, in the meantime mygoal is to to bring that, that
legacy preservation part, bringthat fun, bring that positive
(29:58):
distraction while they're goingthrough.
But yeah, like I said, it's alot, it's a lot of tears, but
what keeps me going is, yeah,you just get so close with each
of the families, like there's noway that you can't do this, you
have to.
And, and you know my wife andour kids they're right, they're
right in it with me and they'rea great support system.
(30:18):
And then again, you know, tyingit all back to faith and prayer
and like that's honestly beenthe root of how I'm able to
continue and then to restartover and over and over again.
BRANDI (30:29):
Yeah, yeah Well, thank you for the work that you're
doing.
You are truly creating thelegacy of these kids for their
families, for them to have as asmemories, or just for these
kids to look back on somedaywhen they have survived, and say
that was a hard part in my lifeand I got through it and you
(30:55):
were a part of helping them getthrough that.
So, yeah, I think it's, it'sjust a wonderful thing.
I love the program.
So and I can't I'm I'm very sadnow to hear about amy, but I
really look forward to watchingher her video now whenever you
do release it.
And oh yeah, we'll make sure towhen this is released, we'll
(31:15):
link that up for sure.
JAMES (31:17):
So yeah, well, that's the thing too, like all these
videos are then used for moreawareness, more education about
pediatric cancer.
It's getting eyes of peoplethat childhood cancer isn't on
their radar, but now, all of asudden it is and it's reaching
them in a way that's totallyattention grabbing and it's fun
and joyful.
It's also hard, um, you know,but that's like and like how you
(31:37):
were raising money for the ourvirtual camp.
Uh, you know camp Norden thereas the virtual portion, it's for
all the kids who can't attendin-person camp.
We send them these beautifulboxes filled with activities and
they get these VR headsets andthey all get to meet each other.
And that's some of the mostbeautiful things.
That happens because all of asudden, these kids who are alone
(31:57):
and isolated in hospital rooms,now you're gaming, you're
having fun with these, you'regoing fishing with each other,
you're going, you know, and youjust kind of give them the tools
and watch them run and watchthem like just light up, because
some of these kids they weresaying they haven't played with
another kid, um, in person forlike three years, you know,
cause they're soimmunocompromised, and it's like
Whoa, but now you don't even,you don't even realize that
(32:19):
you're playing laser tag.
You're playing whatever youknow, and and we're teaching
them too, like during that camp,we're teaching them how to do
3d modeling, how do they designtheir own custom nike shoes that
get sent to them and like.
BRANDI (32:31):
There's all sorts of like you saw that?
JAMES (32:33):
yeah, I know I did so and they all get to work together
and like.
And to that point, amy, thatthe, the, the girl who had
passed on, she was part of thecamp and she, like, made a
massive impact on all the othercampers because she was such a
light, even though she was goingthrough such hard things and
she had brain cancer so it hadtaken away a lot of her ability
to use, uh, one side of her body, so she was having trouble.
(32:56):
One time, she, she was tryingto figure out how to play this
thing with everyone and nextthing, you know, everyone's just
.
All the other kids are likebound together with her, like,
no, amy, amy, you got this, likethis is how you do it.
And they're all coaching eachother.
And the next thing, you know,amy's figured it out and she's
flying.
She's all learned how to fly,she's flying.
BRANDI (33:11):
Yeah.
JAMES (33:12):
She's flying all around.
Yeah, and it was just, it wasbeautiful.
And then, same to that point ofthose, those custom shoes,
ended up showing up to her houseand she was so excited about
what she created with all of hernew friends, even though it was
all virtual.
She ends up getting those shoeson.
And this girl, she hadn't beenable to walk in like two years.
And the mom showed the video ofher walking again and like
(33:36):
taking those steps, and it'slike, oh wow, like that that
served as a catalyst, for thatpositive distraction can take
away a little bit of the painbecause there's a greater thing
after it.
And it's like that's exactlywhat we're trying to do is we
provide those positivedistractions to uh and creative
outlets to bring a little bit ofthat pain, um pain, away.
BRANDI (33:56):
So, anyway, sorry for the rant.
No, that's great, that's whatwe.
I love hearing those things andthat's what this is about.
So sharing that for advocacyyeah, I'm so glad you brought up
that it's.
It's for the families and stufftoo, but is it is so much as
about advocacy as well, so toget other people involved with
children's cancer research thathave not been exposed to it
(34:18):
Otherwise?
It's just a different format ordifferent way for exposure.
So well, I want to like ask youa serious question, james.
I watch these videos of you andthe kiddos and I just can't
help but think though who'shaving more fun?
You are the kids.
JAMES (34:36):
I know it is a, it is um, it is a lot of fun.
You know we get to.
You know we have to, we have todive in and we have to.
You know we get to.
You know we have to, we have todive in and we have to.
You know if, if I can have funin this, I can, I have to put
myself in the situation so thatway I can make sure that this is
going to be good for um, forfor who we're working with.
You know, um, but you know it'sall just focused on on on that
(35:00):
individual child and stuff LikeI.
I never had any of this stuffon my radar.
You know I never thought aboutdrift car racing or riding on
penguins or dancing around in amuffin head, you know like
that's never on my radar ofthings to do, but it just it's
all about focusing on, like youknow, how much fun and silliness
can we bring to to this childand what's their interests.
And then yeah, and then youhave to fully commit to this
(35:24):
thing.
You know, you have to fullycommit to running around a
five-star resort wearing thatmassive, you know, muffin.
Yeah, and it's contagious,though.
You know what I mean.
If you can have fun, then theycan have fun, and there's no way
you can't.
When you see them lighting upand having a blast, it's like,
oh, this is great, but it's alot.
It's like, oh, this is this isgreat, but it's it's, it's a lot
(35:46):
.
It's a lot of hard things thatpeople don't see.
You know, even just planningthese, these are all like
massive events that we're tryingto plan with our, you know, in
record timing and pulling justthe unthinkable together.
And when you watch some ofthese videos, you can, you can
kind of see it and feel it.
(36:06):
But that's the goal.
Yeah, we bring the fun andinherently you can't not feel
the fun in doing so, andhopefully that that transpires
when you're watching the videos.
Hopefully you feel the joy, buthopefully you also feel the
weight of what we're doing.
BRANDI (36:19):
So, yeah, yeah, well, they say laughter is the best
medicine, and in this case itseems like it is for these kids
(36:48):
no-transcript fun that sheliterally gets up and stands and
starts smashing through thethings and doing her game, and
it was beautiful.
JAMES (36:58):
And next thing, you know, like we're all trying not to
cry, you know, like her causethey haven't seen her stand like
that again, but it was likeexactly what happened.
You brought that silliness andlaughter.
I mean, she was riding down amountain on the back of a llama,
collecting pancakes was herthing, and she was having so
much fun in that that she, youknow she was standing and that's
the last footage that we haveof of of her.
(37:18):
And you know she has siblingsand a little sister and and you
know, um, yeah, now, the family,they can, they, they would send
me messages of, they, theywould play her song every single
morning, but her little sisterwould would ask to hear her, her
, her, her song, um, everysingle morning, um, before she
went to school.
And you can hear her, hersister's, laughing and singing
(37:40):
about, writing on the back of,uh, whatever, collecting
pancakes.
And it was like, you know, justso that we can hear her voice
again.
It's like, oh my gosh, andthat's exactly what needs to
happen.
I would love to be not doingthis anymore.
I would love to one day.
All these cures are happeningand I can just do something else
.
I would love to not see and bein these really hard situations
(38:04):
with kids who are fighting sohard.
So that's where my hope is withChildren's Cancer Research Fund
, and I appreciate all youradvocacy and all your
fundraising that you've done,and even this podcast
challenging people to make animpact.
I think it's just amazing andit's exactly what needs to
happen, because each one of ustake our little gifts and skills
and and look at what can happenfrom that.
(38:26):
You know.
BRANDI (38:29):
Yes, yep, exactly, and that's what I I want to know,
like, if you're for people outthere, what's your advice for
how they can put their gifts andtheir skills to use to make an
impact, like you have?
What would your advice be?
JAMES (38:42):
Yeah, I would.
I think it comes down to use,to make an impact like you have.
What would your advice be?
Yeah, I would.
I think it comes down to likeseeing people, like seeing needs
and then taking action on thoseneeds.
So, like you know, the peoplethat I saw that there was, you
know, pediatric cancer, it's aterrible, terrible thing, a
terrible group of that's whatthey're going through.
And then it's like, okay, well,how can we make a positive
(39:04):
impact in that?
And then you just startself-assessing what am I good at
?
What can I?
I like to doodle, I like to.
And next thing, you know, itstarts creating this massive
thing and this whole undergroundprogram and that that's a
little grandiose.
But I would.
I almost think that that mottoof seeing people and taking
action, I think that can beapplied to anyone.
It doesn't have to be a largescaled program and stuff.
(39:26):
It can be just you helping yourneighbor, you helping a certain
population group.
I think that's really important.
And even saying, yes, if youget a call from somebody talking
about a muffin head and thenneeding help, you'd be like, oh,
actually I can connect you withthis, I know this for it, I
know that.
And then you know that's a formof using your gifts um to make
(39:50):
a positive impact and it's likeyeah.
So I think, saying yes, seeingpeople taking action big or
small ways, I think all thatstuff ripples effects.
I mean again, then none of thisstuff was even on my radar when
I was, when I was growing up,you know, before I was doing
this, I was going to be a secretagent.
That was like what I was,that's what I was trained to do,
that's what I was like I wasgoing to save the world from bad
(40:12):
.
You know I was.
I was knowing my exits,memorizing all sorts of crazy
things.
And then, yeah, I just had adifferent plan after I had
gotten a severe brain injury andthen learned that all of a
sudden, I could make braininjury and then learned that all
of a sudden, I could make youknow silly songs.
I had to relearn how to talkagain, you know.
So there's a whole wild journeythat got me to to hear but, um,
yeah, so you never know whatwhat, uh, your gifts will be?
BRANDI (40:35):
Um, yeah, so yeah, well, I'm glad that you have these
gifts and you're sharing themwith Children's Cancer Research
Fund and the families that arein this fight.
So, yes, because I too believethat one day there's going to be
no cancer.
We don't want our kids to gothrough this.
We want them to live long andhealthy lives.
So, james, thanks again forbeing here and sharing what
(41:00):
you're doing.
Where can people watch allthese amazing videos that you've
just shared?
JAMES (41:06):
with us.
Yeah, well, thank you forhaving me.
It's been a blast and hopefully, uh, yeah, you almost need to
watch some of these videos afterthis, so that way you really
understand what in the worldwe're talking about.
Uh, and the easiest way is togo to children's cancer research
uh fund and you can find ourour big dreams program, uh, with
them and you can watch some ofthe some of the videos.
But then there's also onInstagram is where it's most
(41:27):
active.
It's called lad in a battle andor on the children's cancer
research fund page, and you'llsee our stuff popping up there
all the time of, yeah, some ofthese just larger than life
productions and pure joy duringreally difficult times.
So, yeah, you gotta.
You gotta hear some of thesesongs.
I mean these fair warning.
So, yeah, you got to hear someof these songs.
I mean fair warning.
I mean these songs will getstuck in your head Like the
(41:49):
songs that these kids arecreating they're not just silly
little things.
These are like, these are hits.
So you're moving, warren.
BRANDI (41:57):
That's right.
Thanks for the warning.
So all right.
Well, thanks, james.
JAMES (42:02):
Thank you, brandy, good seeing you and yeah, we'll see
you on the next event.
BRANDI (42:09):
You've been listening to Act to Impact with Brandy
DeVries.
If this show ignited your fireand inspired you to take action
to make an impact, please sharethis episode with a friend,
leave a five-star review orwrite a review to let others
know how the show impacted you.
I can't wait to see the actionyou are taking to make an impact
(42:31):
and I'd love for you to sharethat with our community.
Go ahead and tag me on socialmedia as you are out making an
impact in the world.
Do you have a story to shareand want to be a guest on Act to
Impact?
I'd love to connect with you.
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