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Ottawa comic book aims to get children vaccinated
Ottawa coinniic Iboolk alms to get chiillldirein vaccinated
Prominent doctor's project targets anti-vaxxers' kids.
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By: Dylan C. Robertson For Metro, Published on Wed Jain 25 2017
A prominent Ottawa doctor has teamed up with graphic -design prodigies to convince children to get
vaccinated.
Immunization Warriors is a digital comic book that aims to get children thinking differently about needles
and go over the heads of reluctant parents.
Comparing viruses to invading extra -terrestrials, the comic aims to explain the role of white blood cells and
vaccines to children.
Dr. Kumanan Wilson, the Ottawa Hospital's Research Chair in Public Health Innovation, got the idea when
he came to speak at his son's Grade 5/6 split class, explaining the immune system through an analogy of
a space invasion.
"I thought this might be a great way to connect," he said. "The immune system is cool. If you frame it like
this, they'll think science is amazing."
Wilson reached out to Algonquin College. With funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada, the
college suggested a video comic book and linked him to two students and one graduate.
The project started last summer and had Dom Richichi working through most of last semester.
"Cells are round, not creative looking," said third -year graphic design student. "We were given a bare
script, which we had a chance to develop."
Richichi said it was interesting work that served a purpose.
http://www. m etronews.calnewslottawal20l 7/01l241ottawa-comic- book -aims -to -get -chi I dren-vacci nated. pri nt. htm I 1/2
1/25/2017
Ottawa comic book aims to get children vaccinated
"I'm empowering the kids too. You're giving them their own choice to make, through a visual way that also
educates them."
While Wilson hopes the project fights fear of needles, he's blunt about tackling parents who dispute
vaccine science.
"It's hard to change adults' minds about vaccines; about anything, really," he said. "If they're an anti-
vaxxer, you're not going to change their mind. So, we need to start earlier."
"A lot of parents aren't firmly anit -vax; they're hesitant," Wilson said, adding that some simply forget to get
their kids vaccinated.
That rings true for Richichi, 26, who admits he was so busy with last semester's project that he caught
influenza, after forgetting to get his flu shot.
The comic will soon be published on the CANlmmunize app, available on Phone and Android
smartphones.
http://www. m etronews.calnewslottawal20l 7/01l241ottawa-comic- book -aims -to -get -chi I dren-vacci nated. pri nt. htm I 2/2