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Young cancer survivor creates videogame and social newtwork

Shared by Ana Duarte on 2015-12-16 21:29

About the solution

After undergoing chemotherapy and a double cord blood transplant, his fragile immune system required him to be isolated in a sterile environment for 100 days. To cope with the isolation, Gonzalez began mastering video games, such as “iMovie” and “Maya,” and ultimately created his own called, “Play Against Cancer.” He also developed a social network for gaming called “The Survivor Games”, geared towards 6th through 12th graders.

“I realized how much video games played a part in my treatment and how it created a community for me,” says the senior at The Woodlands College Park High School in The Woodlands, Texas. “Cancer kind of rips you away from that community you have. These video games brings these kids together and makes a community for them.”

After his treatment, he went to a small camp where they taught him a video creation tool, but that wasn’t enough for Gonzalez who had a vision for something bigger. “I kind of figured out what I could and used the internet for whatever I couldn’t figure out on my own,” says the young achiever who created the video game “Play Against Cancer” while he was in isolation from summer to Christmas in the 6th grade.

After he created the game, Gonzalez says he distributed it to patients in the hospital. However, eventually he wants to develop a more public distribution, which will probably be included on his new up-and-coming non-profit social Web site.

At such a young age, Gonzalez already has a blueprint made for himself after high school. He says he plans on going to college and studying video game developing and business, while continuing to work on his non-profit.

Adapted from: http://bit.ly/2fZvgN0

More info: http://thesurvivorgames.wix.com/beta

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FS31HWzyVo

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DISCLAIMER: This story was written by someone who is not the author of the solution, therefore please be advised that, although it was written with the utmost respect for the innovation and the innovator, there can be some incorrect statements. If you find any errors please contact the patient Innovation team via info@patient-innovation.com

About the author

Steven Gonzalez Jr, born in USA, in 1995, survived a rare form of cancer that gave him only a two percent chance of survival. They boy created a video game to provide a form of relief to others who go through similar pain and seclusion.

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