‘American Cancer Story’ marks the first-ever partnership between pediatric cancer organizations and gun violence advocate groups to create a safer future for children in America.

The film premiered in movie theaters across Los Angeles and it's currently streaming on TUBI, AMC, and Viacom. The film combines the talents of acclaimed filmmakers and musicians to deliver a poignant and impactful narrative. With a director known for his work on high-profile projects like Narcos and RoboCop, and an original track by James Valentine of Maroon 5, the film brings together top-tier Hollywood talent to engage audiences.

According to the CDC, cancer is the number 3 killer of children in America, while gun violence is the number one. This groundbreaking initiative marks the first time that these two causes have united to combat the most significant dangers to children in America, transcending political boundaries to focus on the shared goal of safeguarding the younger generation.

The film was made for Change the Ref, an organization founded by the parents of Joaquin Oliver, tragically killed in the Parkland school shooting. Change the Ref's mission is to leverage creativity to protect as many children as possible, emphasizing the role of innovative approaches in tackling societal challenges.

According to the CDC, cancer is the number 3 killer of children in America, while gun violence is the number one. Change the Ref, an organization founded by the father of Joaquin Oliver, tragically killed in the Parkland school shooting, wanted to use their platform to bring these two causes together to combat the most significant dangers to children in America, transcending political boundaries to focus on the shared goal of safeguarding the younger generation.

Our objective is to make a tangible difference in the lives of children in America by driving donations to fund pediatric cancer research and to inspire people to use their voice to drive change and action in the fight against gun violence.

According to the CDC, cancer is the number 3 killer of children in America, while gun violence is the number one. American Cancer Story is a compelling film in consultation with pediatric oncologists and gun violence experts to address urgent social issues in a gripping and emotionally significant manner. With the founders of Change the Ref, who are also parents to a son killed in a school shooting, on set helping guide the direction, we ensured relevant and meaningful insights were accounted for.

‘American Cancer Story’ is a compelling short film created to tackle the top issues threatening the safety of American children: cancer and gun violence. This groundbreaking initiative marks the first time that these two causes have united to combat significant dangers to children in America.

The film takes the viewer through an emotional story of a young girl’s cancer journey. We follow a gripping montage of her heroic battle, from the devastating news of the diagnosis, to after what seems like an endless cycle of procedures, remission. Her classmates greet her enthusiastically upon her return to school, only tragically to face a second life-threatening situation: a school shooting.

The fact that gun violence is the number 1 killer of American children is starkly delivered through the juxtaposition of the girl's promising prognosis against cancer and the sudden tragedy that unfolds in her school, emphasizing the urgent need for change.

The film premiered in movie theaters in L.A. on 03/26/24 and launched on TV, online and streaming on 4/9/24 and lives on AmericanCancerStory.com. On the website, people can donate to pediatric cancer research by choosing from a list of top-rated NPCF certified childhood cancer-related institutions, including the New York Cancer Foundation, Prevent Cancer Foundation Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Ronald McDonald House, Camp Sunshine, CureSearch for Children's Cancer, Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. Second, because the fight against gun violence needs action, viewers can raise their voice by sharing the campaign to start a conversation about how we can do better to fight this threat.

Directed by José Padilha of Narcos, scored by James Valentine of Maroon 5, and

shared by dozens of A-list of celebrities and influencers, the initiative had a broad global reach and immediate impact within the first week of launch.

"American Cancer Story" was a film directed by José Padilha and scored by James Valentine of Maroon 5. It had a broad reach and impact, with CNN calling it a "game changer" and TELEMUNDO describing it as "a very strong story that everyone needs to watch". The film gained more than 15,000 Instagram followers on @americancancerstory, and was shared by A-list celebrities and influencers, who directed viewers to the website. The website allowed donations to fund pediatric cancer research, while also encouraging people to send the film to pro-gun congress people. The website also offered a list of top-rated NPCF certified childhood cancer-related institutions. With over 5,000 daily page hits on the donation page, thousands of dollars were raised. Just over two weeks after the film's launch, President Biden announced an expansion of background checks for gun buyers, which finally closed the "gun show loophole".