MEDICAL
INFORMATION
FOR KIDS
INFORMATION
FOR KIDS
LATEST NEWS
16 Jun 2010 | Press Release
The five super heroes are characters from the Medikidz series of comic books and graphic novels created by paediatricians Kim Chilman-Blair and Kate Hersov in collaboration with former Marvel comics brand manager John Taddeo.
The Medikidz comic concept was born of Dr Chilman- Blair's frustration at the lack of medical resources appropriate for children. Having noticed this dearth was worldwide, Dr Chilman-Blair took it upon herself to write a book aimed at young people.
Her first book centred on epilepsy, but in Dr Chilman- Blair's own words, was a "complete disaster". She hadn't shaken off her academic writing style and the book wasn't fun or engaging, she says.
The journey to fill the information gap eventually led Dr Chilman-Blair to join forces with graphic artists.
Together they created the Medikidz - Pump, Skinderella, Gastro, Axon and Chi - from Mediland, a living planet shaped like the human body.
The Medikidz are on a mission to explain medicai conditions and their treatment in plain words.
The end product is colour- fully illustrated, comic-form medical literature that presents complex information about disease and medicines in a way kids can grasp and enjoy.
The comics are authored by doctors and peer reviewed by two leading consultants from each field covered.
The aim is to always have the "creme de la creme" when it comes to peer reviewing, Dr Chilman-Blair says.
The Medikidz team is never short on concepts for comics, with a fairly constant stream of doctors requesting a topic be covered because they need resources for a patient.
Medikidz are also online at www.medikidz.com. Among other things, the website features Medispace, a social networking platform for kids to discuss their conditions with others their age going through similar experiences.
Medispace is moderated by a youth advisory board made up of 12 kids with different chronic health conditions.
The comics are mostly funded through sponsorship.
Around 600,000 copies of the Medikidz comics have been sold since their launch in the UK, September 2009.
The comic book series is now available in New Zealand bookshops or can be ordered at www.medikidz.com/shop.