OncoQuest

OncoQuest!
Tutorial scene
Introduction to the game
Gameplay example 1
Gameplay example 2

Inspiration

Broken bones, cuts, bruises: Children very often have no trouble associating these things with pain and recovery. They understand what they see and know the source of. However, as many have demonstrated through studies, children have a harder time grasping disease and why it arises. As Jean Piaget’s research suggests, children are not “small adults”; their cognitive development and understanding of the world are still evolving. [^1] Therefore, the way we approach complex medical situations with them cannot be normalized to the adult world view. We found that the use of VR in hospital settings often had the goal to calm through distraction and get the mind off the treatment rather than to face the reality of the treatment and make it less daunting. [^2] We wanted to address this challenge by creating an experience that meets children at their level of understanding and empowers them to feel more in control of their situation.

What it does

OncoQuest addresses the way children undergoing treatment, or those related to someone who is, experience this challenge. Targeted to children aged 5 to 10 years of age, OncoQuest is based on research that suggests that children in this age range tend to perceive illness as something mystical, uncontrollable and frightening. As such, children tend to become anxious or act out when experiencing or seeing a loved one experience a difficult illness. We centered our experience around cancer, a condition that is a common enough illness, of which the origin and the nature of both the disease and its treatment exacerbate this anxiety in children. OncoQuest gives children a sense of agency by allowing them to take on the identity of Agent Chemo, a hero on a mission to fight cancer cells. Chemotherapy, used to treat metastasis, is an indiscriminately harsh multi-targeting drug that, in the eyes of a child, could seem to cause more harm than good given its harsh side effects, such as nausea, hair loss, and weakness. [^3] Through a simulated journey that begins and ends in a hospital room, children can bring the lessons of the game back to their real-life situation and reduce their fear of hospital environments.

How we built it

OncoQuest was developed as a virtual reality experience using Unity, a tool we had limited experience with prior to this project. Despite our unfamiliarity, we learned to use Unity to create an engaging and educational experience where children interact with cancerous and non-cancerous cells and learn about the treatment process in a way that makes sense to them. Understanding that nausea is a common side effect of chemotherapy, we designed the gameplay to keep a consistent focal point throughout the experience to minimize discomfort and prevent exacerbating symptoms.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest challenge was presenting complex medical concepts to children in a way that feels approachable, reassuring, and educational. Balancing the need to teach children about the realities of treatment while maintaining a hopeful message required careful design. Additionally, designing the gameplay to prevent discomfort, particularly nausea, was a priority given that chemotherapy patients are especially vulnerable to it. Learning to use Unity effectively was also a major hurdle, but one that allowed us to grow our skills significantly. We overcame challenges when attempting to sync the audios to the exact movements or actions we had in mind when conceptualizing the project, as well as ensuring a smooth and cohesive transition between scenes to obtain the most optimal gameplay experience.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We successfully designed a framework that makes the cancer treatment process less daunting for children. By allowing them to take on the role of Agent Chemo, we provide them with a sense of agency and empowerment. Overcoming our limited experience with Unity to create this project is also an accomplishment we are proud of. Seeing our vision come to life within such a short period of time was a truly rewarding experience!

What we learned

We learned the basics of VR design, a challenging, yet exciting process. From 3D modelling, to the creation of the gameplay while creating an educational tool for children who have been affected by cancer, we have learned to utilize many valuable tools.

What's next for OncoQuest

We chose to center the OncoQuest experience around leukemia, as it is the most common childhood cancer. [^4] However, the gameplay can easily be adapted to other forms of cancer, creating accurate, yet simple, depictions of the molecular basis of the disease, and its various treatments. Through collaborations with pediatric oncologists and psychologists, we could create a more refined experience, fine tuned to educate children on cancer treatment.

References

[^1] : Vacik, H W et al. “Children's understanding of illness: students' assessments.” Journal of pediatric nursing vol. 16,6 (2001): 429-37. doi:10.1053/jpdn.2001.27883 [^2] : Knighting, K., et al. “Children’s understanding of cancer and views on health-related behaviour: A ‘draw and write’ study.” Child: Care, Health and Development, vol. 37, no. 2, 13 Aug. 2010, pp. 289–299, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2010.01138.x. [^3] : “Chemotherapy.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 13 Mar. 2024, www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/chemotherapy/about/pac-20385033. [^4] : Canada, Public Health Agency of. “Government of Canada.” Canada.Ca, / Gouvernement du Canada, 25 Nov. 2022, www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/childhood-cancer-counts-canada.html.