Childhood Cancer Canada launches “Let’s Face the Unimaginable,” a new national awareness platform by The Garden
Childhood Cancer Canada (CCC) is launching a new national brand platform and awareness campaign, “Let’s Face the Unimaginable,” developed by independent agency The Garden, part of Humanise Collective. The work challenges the reflexive response many people have when confronted with childhood cancer — “I can’t imagine” — and seeks to reframe public understanding of the lifelong, family-wide realities that follow.
Right now, more than 10,000 families in Canada are caring for a child with cancer, and an average of six children are diagnosed every day. CCC is the leading national organization in Canada focused exclusively on children’s cancer, supporting families through awareness, research funding, and long-term emotional and financial care.
At the centre of the campaign is a hero film that asks viewers to pause and imagine the unimaginable, the cumulative impact of childhood cancer beyond the moment of diagnosis, from job loss and financial strain to relocation, isolation, and the emotional toll carried by parents and siblings alike. Defined by raw, unguarded moments, the film captures how childhood cancer continues to shape family life long after diagnosis.
Directed by Jason van Bruggen of Suneeva, the film features real CCC families at various stages of treatment and recovery. Shot with a deliberately small, intimate crew, the production prioritized sensitivity and trust, drawing directly from families’ lived experiences to shape the visual narrative.
“Childhood cancer is often seen as a single moment — a diagnosis or a hospital stay — without fully understanding the ripple effects it creates for entire families,” said Kyle Smith, Director of Development, CCC. “At Childhood Cancer Canada, we face those realities every day alongside families, providing financial, psychosocial and community support, investing in critical research and creating awareness. This campaign reflects the realities that childhood cancer is more than a diagnosis; it has many hidden impacts on a family. We believe that only by confronting the full experience can we create better outcomes for families.”
“We heard directly from families with lived experience that ‘I can’t imagine’ was something people reflexively said to them, often as a way to avoid hearing more,” said Lindsay Eady, Executive Creative Director, The Garden. “‘Let’s Face the Unimaginable’ is about pushing past avoidance and discomfort toward understanding, because we can’t begin to make a difference until we confront the reality of childhood cancer.”
The campaign is supported by a robust out-of-home, digital, and social rollout designed to make the unimaginable unignorable. The still work poses stark “Imagine” scenarios — such as “Imagine your child needs a second round of treatment” followed by “and you need a second mortgage” — bringing the financial, emotional, and practical realities families face into sharp focus.
“By stripping out photography, we intentionally left these scenarios to the audience’s imagination,” said Mriga Suchdeva, Senior Art Director, The Garden. “It creates space for people to place themselves in these situations, making the impact not just powerful, but personal.”
The campaign launches nationally in February in support of International Childhood Cancer Awareness Day (February 15) and will run across donated media, including television, radio, out-of-home, digital, and social placements. Symbolic visibility efforts will run alongside the media rollout, landmarks across Canada— including the CN Tower — lit yellow and gold in recognition of the day. Glassroom, part of Humanise Collective, handled the media buy.
Learn more and donate at childhoodcancer.ca
About Childhood Cancer Canada
Childhood Cancer Canada (CCC) is the leading national charitable organization dedicated to supporting children with cancer and their families, while investing in lifesaving research, creating awareness, and collaborating with partners nationwide.
Credits list:
Brand Platform: Let’s Face the Unimaginable
Client: Childhood Cancer Canada
Executive Director: Angie Ramalho
Director of Development: Kyle Smith
Marketing Manager: Cheryl Climie-Smith
Senior Coordinator, Programs & Community Engagement: Nicle Raso
Agency: The Garden
Co‑Founder and Chief Creative Officer: Shane Ogilvie
Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer: Shari Walczak
Executive Creative Director: Lindsay Eady
Senior Copywriter: Nuala Murray
Mriga Suchdeva – Senior Art Director
Adriana Ivory – Executive Design Director
Kendell Edney – VP Client Leadership
Delaney Brough– Business Lead
Sabesh Balasingam – Strategist
Mariana Leon Franco – Project Lead
Melanie Lambertsen – Executive Producer
Jamie Morren – Studio Director
Production Company: Suneeva
Executive Producer: Geoff Cornish
Director: Jason van Bruggen
Line Producer: Kailey Shanque
Cinematographer: Stuart Cameron
1st AC: Nick Petrie
Editorial Company: Nimiopere
Editor: Leah Lalich
Assistant Editor: Bianca Bissada
Executive Producer: Jenna Edwards
VFX & Finishing: Motomotus
VFX Artist: Lauren Rempel
Executive Producer: Morgan Campbell
Post Production: Alter Ego Post
Colourist: Andrew Ross
Music and Sound Design: Eggplant Music & Sound
Executive Producer: Nicola Treadgold
Associate Producer: Nick Nadeau
Voice and Music Director: Adam Damelin
Engineer: Nathan Handy
Engineer: Ben Spiller
Media Agency: Glassroom
Executive Managing Director: Sarah Thompson
Director, Performance & Investment: Camille Bazureau
Supervisor, Digital Platforms: Roger Tabares
Media Investment Director: Jennifer Hart
Senior Strategist: Lindsey Barrett
PR: Glossy
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