What if a children's book could take the fear out of cancer? Three UWindsor grads hope it can

From left, Fatima Hamad, Lauren Oschanney and Olivia Wahby drew on their science backgrounds to co-author a children's book about cancer.

(Photo supplied by the authors/University of Windsor)

Cancer is a difficult subject to approach, both emotionally and academically.  

Explaining it to children makes that challenge even greater.  

University of Windsor alumnae Fatima Hamad, Olivia Wahby and Lauren Oschanney set out to make these conversations easier and more meaningful. 

What began as an assignment in the Cancer Undergraduate Research Education (CUREs) became Cellville Stands Up to Cancer, a children’s book designed to make cancer biology understandable without making it frightening.

“The idea came from recognizing that much of the fear surrounding cancer comes from not understanding it,” says Oschanney.  

Instead of avoiding the topic, the authors wanted to create something that helps children approach it with clarity and confidence. 

“We didn’t want to shield children from reality,” says Hamad. “We wanted to help them understand it in a way that feels safe.” 

Hamad, Wahby and Oschanney graduated with undergraduate science degrees in 2025. 

Through their CUREs coursework, they learned not only the biology of cancer, but how to communicate it responsibly. 

In the book, complex processes are reimagined as a city inside the body, where cells become characters and cancer is introduced through “troublemaker” cells, a metaphor grounded in real science. 

“Every detail, including the colours, characters and backgrounds, was created with intent,” says Wahby. The team also illustrated the book themselves, using visuals to help children better understand complex ideas. Combined with their research backgrounds in cancer biology, stem cells and clinical work, this helped ensure the book is both scientifically accurate and accessible. 

“While the story is written for children, we know that parents and teachers are often the ones guiding those conversations,” says Oschanney. 

This understanding led them to launch a dedicated website with free resources designed to extend learning beyond the book. 

From left, Fatima Hamad, Lauren Oschanney and Olivia Wahby graduated with undergraduate science degrees in 2025.

(Photo supplied by the authors/University of Windsor)

“We also know that not every parent or teacher feels confident explaining something like cancer,” Hamad says. “So we wanted to create something that supports them too. Not just the children reading the book, but the people helping them make sense of it.” 

At its core, the project is about more than just science — it’s about reducing fear and creating understanding.  

For the authors, their goal has always been simple. 

“If even one child finishes the book feeling less afraid and more comfortable asking questions, then we’ve done exactly what we set out to do,” says Wahby. 

Cellville Stands Up to Cancer: Cancer Biology for Kids is currently available on Amazon. 

By Sara Elliott 

Courtesy: https://www.uwindsor.ca/news/2026-04-16/what-if-childrens-book-could-take-fear-out-cancer-three-uwindsor-grads-hope-it-can