Young Cancer Patients Invent Game to Help Them Cope With Disease

A group of children with cancer spent some of their time between chemotherapy treatments inventing a game to help them deal with the disease.

Two years later, “Road to Remission” is being marketed to children’s hospitals across the country, with proceeds earmarked for computer and recreational items for patients at Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Akron.

“When you’re in the hospital you hear all this technical stuff all the time,” said Tim Snyder, now 16 and a sophomore at Firestone High School. “You’re sometimes scared and don’t know what’s going on.

“This game is going to help kids with cancer, because it’s by kids who’ve been through it already,” he said. “It takes a funny approach. You deal with cancer better if you can laugh about it. You can’t be so serious all the time.”

Cheryl Linerode, a child-life specialist at the hospital who helped design the game, said it is more therapeutic than recreational.

The object of the game is for a player to move his marker around the board until he reaches a starred space labeled “remission.”

Players move based on the cards they pick. Draw “You just finished your last cycle of chemo!” and advance three spaces. But draw “Treatment extended,” and you’ll have to move back four.

Editor’s Note: Those interested in getting the game may call Children’s Hospital at (216) 379-8760.