Santa Monica, CA – ZAG Foundation, the charitable division of global independent animation studio ZAG, is partnering with Dr. Alain Toledano’s Institute Rafaël to provide free non-medical cancer care to children in a nurturing, supportive and uplifting environment with age-appropriate activities. These therapies aim to provide support and promote healing well-being beyond medical interventions alone. The first launch will be focused at the Paris headquarters in 2025, with plans for locations in several other countries over the next five years. The announcement was made today by Jeremy Zag, Founder and CEO, ZAG, and Dr. Alain Toledano, co-founder of Institute Rafaël.

Institute Rafaël provides an integrative approach to medicine for people with cancer. While modern oncology has become increasingly effective, patients need support to heal and restore their health. The Institute therefore takes a holistic approach to healing, with a focus on emotional health and nutrition as patients look towards the future and a return to their social lives. Dr. Toledano has a broad professional career, becoming a senior oncology doctor at the American Hospital of Paris in 2008. He is recognized in his discipline by the French National Authority for Health and the French National Cancer Institute; and since 2012, he has chaired the Medical Council of the Institut d’Oncologie des Hauts de Seine Nord. In 2013, by presidential decree, he was honored with the rank of Knight of the National Order of Merit.

In partnership with ZAG, an entire floor of the Paris-based Institute Rafaël will be dedicated to the free non-medical care of children with cancer, including psychology and psychotherapy, as well as nutritional guidance and other therapies such as acupuncture and massage, and other programs that focus on enhancing quality of life and overall. Additionally, the program will provide play therapy, art therapy, and musical therapy, providing children with themed activities and exclusive custom content to promote their emotional well-being which will be tailored to support them through every step of their treatment to help them face the unknown. These include cosplay, toys, arts and crafts, storytelling and reading, entertainment, and interactive games. Some of the activities will be based on ZAG’s original IP, including the  globally popular brand Miraculous™, an uplifting superhero property, which at its core features storytelling that encourages children to believe in themselves and find their true power; Ghostforce™, a CG-animated cinematic adventure series in which three kids harness secret superpowers to fight the ghosts of New York; and Melody, an animated feature starring the voice talent of singer, songwriter, and actress Katy Perry about the power of music and speaking your own voice. Additionally, every child across the globe who has been diagnosed with cancer will receive a special doll for fun play.

“It has been one of our biggest dreams at the ZAG Foundation to be able to provide support for children and their parents who are struggling with illness, and we are so proud that this project is going to be a reality in partnership with the tremendously accomplished Dr. Toledano and Institute Rafaël,” commented Jeremy Zag. “Our hope is that together we can provide hope for families dealing with extraordinary situations through free holistic care and entertainment that is inspirational and empowering.”

Dr. Alain Toledano stated: “It is devastating for families when a child receives a life-threatening or terminal illness diagnosis, and an added burden is the financial cost. By partnering with the ZAG Foundation in this new initiative, we will not only be able to provide free holistic cancer care to hundreds of children, but also address issues of emotional health by offering opportunities for them to feel engaged, entertained, and purposeful as they start their healing process.” 

About ZAG
ZAG is a global independent entertainment studio specializing in world-class storytelling across TV, film, and digital platforms. ZAG’s foundation is rooted in compelling characters, limitless imagination, and masterful storytelling infused with original musical scores. The company is home to world-class entertainment properties under the ZAG HEROEZ label, including Miraculous™ – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir as well as Ghostforce. ZAG is also currently in production on Melody, an animated feature starring Katy Perry; and has a 10-movie deal with Cross Creek Pictures. Visionary director and composer Jeremy Zag founded the ZAG Kids and Family Entertainment Group in France in 2009, further expanding the company to the USA in 2012 with the Global Brand Franchise office in Santa Monica, California. ZAG now has offices in Paris, London, Montreal, Santa Monica, Miami, Mexico, Frankfurt, Tel Aviv, Frankfurt, Dubai, and Shenzhen. ZAG’s Consumer Products Division includes the licensing and merchandising, gaming, promotions, and toy groups, and focuses on developing products and experiences beyond the screen into brands that inspire the new generation to discover their true character. https://www.zag.com

About Miraculous™
Miraculous™ – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, co-produced with ZAG and Mediawan Kids & Family, continues to be everyone’s favorite superhero story and has been ranked by IMDB amongst the Top 10 Best Animated Shows in the last 20 years. Available in over 120 countries, season five of the series is available across the globe and the highly anticipated superhero blockbuster Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie launched in July 2023. With a core audience of 52% girls and 48% boys ages 6-12, and a massive fan base of young adult “Miraculers,” (ages 15-25), Miraculous has become a digital planetary craze with over 37 billion views on YouTube (authorized and user-generated content); over 250 million downloads of the official app; and over 550 million+ plays on Roblox. Over 300 million products have been sold and retail sales have surpassed US$1B worldwide to date. Miraculous is the winner of 30 awards including Best Animated Series in the Kids Programming category at the 2023 Kidscreen Awards.

About Ghostforce™
The stakes are high, but always incredibly fun in Ghostforce, in which three elementary school students secretly form a team of superheroes to fight the ghosts of New York. Its founder and commander, Ms. Jones, is a brilliant scientist who does everything she can to better identify ghosts and even created a fourth member, Glowboo, an Artificial Intelligence that works with phantom energy. With each mission, Liv, Andy, and Mike transform into Myst, Fury and Krush, superheroes armed with the powers of the capturing ghosts and high-tech gadgets invented by Mrs. Jones. They are the only ones who can hunt down ghosts and fight them… before they rush back to school, so they don’t miss the next science class! Ghostforce originally launched on Disney Channel in Germany in September 2021, and immediately became market leader on all commercial kids’ channels on its premiere run. Ghostforce airs on Disney Channel and Disney+ across Europe (excluding France), the Middle East, Japan, and India; on TF1 in France, in the U.S, on Disney XD, and in Latin America on Discovery Kids and SBT in Brazil.