Re-Mission: a game for kids with cancer

April 27, 2006 10:33 AM

Re-Mission is a 3rd-person shooter designed for teens and young adults with cancer, developed by HopeLab and RealTime Associates. Players pilot a nanobot, Roxxi, through the body of a fictional cancer patient to destroy cancer cells and infections. The Re-Mission Outcomes Study enrolled 375 teens and young adults with cancer, randomized them to receive a computer with the game or without. Data from the study showed statistically significant improvements in cancer-related self-efficacy, social quality of life, cancer-specific knowledge, and adherence to prescribed medication regimens in patients who played Re-Mission. The game (and related online community) is free of charge to teens and young people living with cancer and will be available to others in May at a suggested donation of $20. (related)
posted by sarahnade (13 comments total)

Of course, these benefits must be balanced against the homicidal rage these patients surely are in after playing so violent a video game.
posted by ChasFile at 10:38 AM on April 27, 2006

Cool.
posted by crowman at 10:40 AM on April 27, 2006

This is very cool indeed - thanks for the post.
posted by greycap at 10:58 AM on April 27, 2006

I hope this is true. I had to visualize Pacman killing my cancer cells without any outside help.
posted by donfactor at 11:37 AM on April 27, 2006

It is. I saw a news report of it on the CBC a week or so back. This is a worthy effort and would encourage it as a learning resource for children of video-game playing age as an excellent resource and morale boosting tool based on what I saw.
posted by pezdacanuck at 12:14 PM on April 27, 2006

Damn skinheads.
posted by dhartung at 12:15 PM on April 27, 2006

Sounds suspiciously sciency.
posted by tula at 12:55 PM on April 27, 2006

I saw this on CBC recently as well. It looks like a neat game.

There was a fairly famous (at least in med anth circles) study that showed that people who visualized their medicines working responded better to cancer treatments. I wonder if this game will have the same effect.
posted by carmen at 2:38 PM on April 27, 2006

This is strangely like Norman Spinrad's story The Carcinoma Angels.
posted by palinode at 3:02 PM on April 27, 2006

Cool, thanks for the post.
posted by onalark at 4:46 PM on April 27, 2006

I hope so carmen. I've known too many now who could use the help.
posted by pezdacanuck at 7:08 AM on April 28, 2006

This is very exciting. carmen and palinode I am right there with you.
posted by pointilist at 11:07 AM on April 28, 2006

Hey! That's my game! I mean, I worked on it. I was thinking of posting it to MeFi projects, but now I don't have to, so thanks sarahande! Thanks everyone else for the well-wishes.

I've worked on a lot of video games, but this is the first where I've actually felt that it would have more positive impact other than just entertaining someone, which is a great feeling. Not to mention it's probably the most slick and professional "serious" game I've ever heard of.
posted by Durhey at 4:45 PM on April 28, 2006