How Romania Fights Paediatric Cancer with Swimming Legend David Popovici
In Romania, 400 children are diagnosed with cancer each year - more than one child a day. With the aim of making the first steps towards tackling this healthcare issue, Publicis Romania, PR agency MSL The Practice and leading healthcare Romanian clinic MedLife collaborated on a program that offers free genetic testing to children diagnosed with the illness.
MedLife launched the testing program with the goal of offering young people and children hope for personalised treatments based on their diagnoses and Publicis made sure the world didn’t turn a blind eye. A limited budget didn’t get in the way of the Groupe’s goal to create a buzz around the initiative - to do that, they collaborated with Romanian competitive swimmer David Popovici, a sensation among young people and fans of the sport.
David donated his most precious medal - the World Championship gold - to be melted and transformed into the golden ribbons of hope, the international symbol for the fight against paediatric cancer. In the first 24 hours of the campaign’s launch, it reached international news and spread organically, taking over NBC Sports, Euronews, EUrosport, Gazzetta Dello Sport, AS and others. A relatively low budget campaign with an incredible front man and a cause ended up with above €1.7 million earned media while inspiring a new sense of hope for children fighting cancer. Following the campaign, the number of applications for MedLife’s program surpassed any expectation.
LBB’s Zoe Antonov spoke to Eugen Suman, creative director at MSL The Practice and Ina Ilie, head of communications at MedLife Romania to understand more about the initiative and processes behind it.
LBB> Tell me about the start of the collaboration with MedLife and the jumping point for this project.
Eugen> We have had a great relationship with Medlife for many years - this is not the first time that we’ve collaborated in Romania. The jumping point was their need to create awareness in Romania about the free genetic testing they are providing for all children who have been recently diagnosed with cancer. This is a very meaningful initiative, especially as these tests are normally very expensive and not many people can afford them in the country. Such a gesture was guaranteed to bring them hope, and we wanted to get the word out as fast as possible, to as many people as possible.
LBB> What made David Popovici perfect for the initiative and what was it like working with him and telling his story?
Ina> David Popovici is an inspiration and role model for our organisation as he is for all Romanians. Our partnership with him started two years ago, before his greatest international achievements, when we felt his ambition and drive to reach his full potential and we were there to support him. He gladly embraced the role of Ambassador for Hope in our campaigns, as we share aligned values within our Healing Romania communication mantra.
In the campaign for genetic testing for children recently diagnosed with cancer, the agency and our team were in awe by what became obvious - David was more than a voice, he personified the very essence of our cause. David's character is a remarkable fusion of diligence, balance, unwavering commitment, compassion and endless hope. His persistence and tireless dedication have left an indelible mark on our hearts, igniting a profound sense of purpose to extend these virtues to all who confront the adversity of this relentless ailment. I admit my full admiration to him, both as a sports champion and as a human.
LBB> Why was giving up the medal such an important part of the initiative - what did you want it to symbolise?
Eugen> Well, it all started from the symbol for the fight against childhood cancer. Not many people know, but it’s a golden ribbon. Then we thought, these kids, the survivors, these are the real fighters, in a way they are the most respected champions we could have – they have conquered the toughest disease out there. Hence, from there to David Popovici, Romania’s greatest swimmer and worldwide sporting sensation, was just a small step. We thought, how can we get David to give these children hope, just like our genetic testing program does? And that’s where it hit us – let’s ask him to melt one of his gold medals and turn it into golden ribbons. The fact that he offered to melt his most precious medal just blew our minds, such a selfless and wonderful gesture…
LBB> Tell us more about the process of using the medal to create the ribbons.
Eugen> We got a group of artisan jewellers, famed for their craft, to assist us. After melting the medal, they cut and shaped the resulting metal into ribbons, covered them in gold then finished them and engraved them with a message of hope.
LBB> How did you pick the children to be part of the video and what considerations did you have to take, bearing in mind you were discussing sensitive topics?
Ina> Considering that we were addressing a very particular health issue, it became evident that we needed proof that paediatric cancer can be overcome. We looked for survivors who had triumphed over this terrible battle and could share their example to others seeking help. We found them through our partner, Dăruiește Viata (Offer Life), an NGO that is supporting children through their therapeutic journey and then remaining in contact to follow up as much as possible. They guided us to the individuals willing to share their stories of hope and we made sure their meetings with David powered them more in achieving their dreams.
LBB> Tell us more about the free genetic testing and how it works. How many children will benefit from it and how does it help?
Ina> With a heartfelt commitment to the well-being of our little ones and the pursuit of a brighter tomorrow, MedLife launched the first nationwide, free genetic testing program for children recently diagnosed with cancer in Romania. This initiative aims to enhance therapeutic success by supporting customised medical care.
Through a single comprehensive test, we analyse most genetic mutations that may arise in 523 genes associated with various types of cancer. This program offers free testing to all children in Romania, from newborns to 18-year-olds, who have been diagnosed with any form of cancer.
Our deepest hope is that this program and genetic testing reach those in dire need. In Romania, statistics reveal the distressing reality that each day throughout the year, a child is diagnosed with cancer. We aim to stand by these little ‘warriors’, making their battle against this dreadful disease a little lighter. With this program, we aspire to be a beacon of optimism in their lives and contribute to a collective effort aimed at defeating paediatric cancer.
With deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve these courageous little souls, we stand united in the belief that compassion, innovation, and dedication will pave the way for a brighter future, one where the word ‘cancer’ becomes a distant memory for the generations to come.
LBB> How has the initiative developed since its launch and what has the audience’s reaction been?
Eugen> The result and reactions were impressive. We got the feeling that everyone thought this campaign could really bring hope, that the campaign might inspire a whole support movement. It made local and international news, including NBC Sports, Yahoo Sports, Euronews, Eurosport, AS and the list goes on and on. We were also featured in prime local TV news – all organic content, no paid media. The most important results are that recently diagnosed children and their parents found out about the program (from the massive publicity) and got in. The number of children that got enrolled surpassed all expectations, and that’s the most important thing for us, nothing else matters.
LBB> Tell us about the tagline - ‘Hope is immune to cancer’ - how did you come up with it and why was it the perfect copywriting to use?
Ina> Hope is a primal emotion, if not a state of mind, that keeps us going even in the toughest times. In a medical sense, a positive mindset stands as a crucial element supporting the healing journey. The choice of words came natural and clear to all of us involved in the project.
LBB> How long did the initiative take to execute and what were the most challenging aspects?
Ina> It is a program that has no precedent in Romania, and from the communication point of view, it was very important for us to have all the information available down to the last detail - the eligibility criteria and submission forms cleared and all procedures ready to receive the patients. As for the shooting of the video, we adjusted a bit to David’s training schedule, but we didn’t keep the young patients waiting, so we released it when it was ready, after the actual start of the campaign. We launched the program on February 15th and the video on May 3rd, but this turned into an opportunity to generate even more media appearances at two different times. Another good news is that David's gesture inspired other athletes to donate their medal as a sign of hope for children with cancer. As such, in August, we will have a new key amplification of this program.
LBB> What do you hope for audiences to take away from watching the campaign and seeing it unfold?
Eugen> Our hopes are that all the children in need will have access to this program, and we want the audiences to just share the news, share the program, talk with their friends and family about it, because it’s really important that everyone finds out about it. This program is a beacon of hope, and all children who need it deserve to be enrolled in it.
LBB> Any final thoughts?
Ina> We are grateful and humble as the echoes of the campaign reached a worldwide audience. But our true hope is that we can reach all of the children (close to 400) diagnosed with cancer every year in Romania and for them to enjoy healthy lives for many years to come.
