2 friends have done over 100 princess and superhero photoshoots for kids who have cancer and other illnesses

• Ginny Masino and Jackie Elliot first joined forces in a remission party for a friend's daughter.
• When they saw how much joy meeting princesses and superheroes brought kids, they founded Magical Missions.
• Although they don't accept payment, they encourage people to donate to charities.

About five years ago, Ginny Masino and Jackie Elliot were brought together to help a mutual friend whose daughter was celebrating remission from cancer. The little girl was having a party, and her mom asked Elliot, a photographer, to take pictures. Masino, an insurance agent by day, is also a cosplayer who volunteered as a princess for sick kids.

Together, they knew they could make the party extra-special. Masino and a few of her friends dressed up as princess and superhero characters to entertain the kids, many of whom were also getting cancer treatments.

The kids loved the party, and Masino recognized that bringing sick kids happiness was about more than just capturing a smile.

"We put them in a better mental health point and gave them some sort of empowerment, when we bring their favorite character," Masino said.

So Masino and Elliot launched Magical Missions, which provides free photos sessions and editing to families who have kids battling cancer and other illnesses. Since that first party, the duo have done more than 100 photoshoots.

"It's such a once-in-a-lifetime experience for these kids," Elliot said. "It's something for them to look forward to besides the treatment and scans."

A mission to bring joy

Families reach out to Magical Missions for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, they want family photos before their child begins to look sick from chemotherapy.

Others want to capture the joy as their child meets a favorite character in person. Sometimes families request editing services - like adding a child to a photo or enhancing a picture - after their child has died.

"That's the hardest part," Masino said.

Sometimes when a child dies, families use the photos from Magical Missions for the obituary or remembrance.

Magical Missions has built network of support

In the five years that Elliot and Masino have been running Magical Missions they've created not only memories, but also a thriving support network for families in need. They work with volunteers, charities, businesses, and suppliers, including a gown rental company that helps children look their best during photos.

"We've built such a wonderful community," Elliot said. "Because of that, if we have a family we know that's newly diagnosed, we also offer resources."

Magical Missions also helps families get financial support. Each year during the holidays Elliot and Masino fundraise for a family, auctioning off goods that local businesses have donated. When they share photos, they often direct people to donate to a family's GoFundMe or an organization that supports kids with cancer and their families.

One such organization is Finn's Fighters. The charity is named for Finn Gray, a boy who died from cancer in January 2020, at just six years old. After doing photo shoots with Finn, Elliot and Masino make an effort to stay connected with his family.

Although the work is sometimes heavy, it's worth it, Elliot said. "When you lose those kids, they become part of your story," she said.

In the past, Masino has been brought to tears after interacting with kids and their families, but for the most part she focuses on channeling positivity into whichever princess she's portraying.

"You kind of block it out and realize in that moment it's more for them than it is for you," she said.

Teaching their kids to give back

Elliot and Masino are both moms, Elliot to a seven-year-old and Masino to 11- and 13-year-olds. Working with so many families in crisis has given them renewed appreciation for their children's health, they said.

Because of that, they involve their kids in the photoshoots to show them how important it is to give back.

Although the pandemic has impacted Magical Missions' ability to do in-person events, Elliot and Masino have found ways to stay busy, including a socially-distanced Santa event and editing photos for families all over the US.

"We're still finding ways to make things magical," Elliot said.