www.MagicPaintbrush.ARTinMEDICINE.com

Created by

John Saito, MD

babababababababa

(Preliminary Concept Art)

INTRODUCTION

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life shortening genetic disease that currently affects 30,000 Americans. In some states in the U.S., more and more children are diagnosed early in life through newborn screening for CF. In states where newborn screening is not available, the diagnosis can be missed for several months to years.

Because of the underlying genetic defect in children with CF, many are malnourished (because they are unable to properly absorb the food they eat) and suffer from recurrent lung infections (because the mucus in their lungs are unusually thick and sticky).

Recurrent lung infections often lead to irreversible lung damage that can ultimately result in premature death. For this reason, many children with CF often spend a large amount of time daily on life-extending therapies.

As their lung health deteriorates, some children are hospitalized more frequently and for longer stretches of time where they undergo intensive therapies that are not always pleasant. When this happens, they are removed from their friends and family and placed in a world of illness and isolation.

Based on my observation, despite such conditions, many children with CF have the amazing ability to acclimate and thrive. Not so much for themselves, but for others around them (friends, families, and caregivers).... Much like heroes who unselfishly give so others can have hope.

This is a story about one such hero.

High Concept:

In the mode of the TV show “House” meets Disney’s “Body Wars” meets the “Chronicles of Narnia” in which a medical mystery brings two children with life shortening illnesses together and takes them into a microscopic fantasy world of the lungs where one must embark on a quest to save the other.

Synopsis:

This story is about how little children face acute and chronic, life shortening illnesses in modern medicine. A boy with cystic fibrosis and a little girl with a mysterious illness escape their respective imprisonment in the hospital into a fantasy world through a magic portal created by the boy’s magic paintbrush.

The duo arrives in a fantasy world that is at war. The girl is captured by an evil force that terrorizes the magical kingdom. The boy assembles a team to rescue her. In their quest, they utilize magical items that reflect real world CF therapies to keep the lungs healthy.

As the Johnny and his team gets closer to their goal, the environment (lungs) becomes healthier and more colorful. But will their efforts be enough to save the girl or the dying kingdom?

Click here to enter the world of

Johnny and the

Magic Paint Brush

Click here to continue to Issue 1 Sample Pages.

Contact Information

E-mail address

jsaito@swmail.sw.org