What We Do
The experience of lining up at the theater when your favorite movie opens, getting your ticket, grabbing popcorn, and picking out a seat can be a memorable moment in a child’s life. But what about the children who are battling life-threatening illnesses in hospitals nationwide who can’t get to the theater? The kids who don’t get to enjoy that experience at the same time as everyone else?
That’s where LOLLIPOP comes in.
LOLLIPOP delivers the season’s biggest blockbusters while they are still in the theater right to those children and their families at the hospital, working with leading motion picture studios to bring the joy, magic, and momentary escape of the movies to those who need it most.
Imagine rolling out the red carpet for a sick child and letting them see The Peanuts Movie at the same time all their friends are rushing to the theaters to see Snoopy and Charlie Brown. Or bringing those adorable Minions and their movie hijinks right to the hospital to brighten up an ailing child’s day.
For many of these pediatric patients – ranging in age from 1-20 – even a small dose of normal, everyday life is enough to give them the strength and the hope they need to keep fighting.
And our mission doesn’t stop with just movies. Our programming includes TV series and movies, our Rhythm of Hope® music program, movie-themed arts and crafts activities, collaborations with Nickelodeon, DreamWorks Animation and Blue Sky Studios and special celebrity visits.
Our History
In June 2002, LOLLIPOP debuted its program at MSKCC with a special screening of Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.
In January 2001, Janis Schodowski Fischer was a volunteer in the pediatric ward at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York City. On Fridays, she helped out at “Movie Nights,” when the hospital rented movies recently released on video and screened them for the children in the playroom.
Janis thought it might be a special treat for them to be able to watch a current movie, so she borrowed a friend’s screening copy of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which had just opened in theaters.
The children’s excitement took Janis by surprise. They talked about the screening for days. And the hospital staff was so grateful for the joy and excitement that was filling their hallways. That’s when the idea hit Janis – Bring the movie theater to the kids!
Janis shared the idea with her friend, children’s book publisher Joshua Gaspero, who helped her incorporate a new non-for-profit organization, which they named Lollipop Theater Network (LOLLIPOP).
The next challenge was getting the movie studios onboard. Thanks to the insight of a mutual friend, Tracy Tarrant, Janis was introduced to Evelyn Iocolano, whose help and relentless persistence made LOLLIPOP a reality.
In June 2002, LOLLIPOP debuted its program at MSKCC with a screening of Twentieth Century Fox’s Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.
Since then, LOLLIPOP has screened hundreds films, TV series and virtual programs for hospitalized children nationwide, as well as in Canada, Mexico City, Argentina and Colombia, and expanded its programming to include LOLLIPOP’s Rhythm of Hope® music program, and collaborations with top animation studios and special celebrity visits.
The Child Life Advisory Board
Lisa Barron
Pediatric Officer Supervisor
Palm Beach Children’s Hospital
Theresa Bunkers, MS, CCLS
Certified Child Life Specialist
M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital
Kelli Carroll
Manager, Chase Child Life Program
UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, Westwood
Natalie Chicas
Volunteer Coordinator
Shriners for Children Medical Center in Pasadena
Mathea Jacobs
KidZone TV Manager, Child Life Video Producer
The Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital
Britta Johnson M.Ed., CCLS
Media Producer
Zucker Family Suite & Broadcast Studio
M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital
Betsy McMillian
Child Life Manager
MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital
Anna Pabustan
Cardiology/Cardiac Transplant Child Life Specialist
UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, Westwood
Kathryn Robbins
Child Life Specialists
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center
Tracy Reyes Serrano
Child Life Specialist II
UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, Santa Monica
Maria Tome
CCLS, Director of Child Life Program
LAC + USC Medical Center
Charity Vasquez
MS., CCLS
Director for Master of Science in Child Life Program
Azusa Pacific University
Sue Waltermeyer
MA, CCLS
Cure 4 the Kids Foundation
The Board of Directors
Chris Aronson
President, Domestic Theatrical Distribution
Paramount Pictures
Carolyn Blackwood
Former Chief Operating Officer
Warner Bros. Pictures Group
Dan M. Crown
Co-Founder/Producer
Red Crown Productions
Anne Hathaway
Actress
Ryan Johnston
President/CEO
InterPhase Entertainment
Jack Kline
Advisor/ Former CEO
Christie Digital Systems
Andrew Leigh
President
Jerry Leigh of California
David Robinson
President/CEO
Morgan Creek Entertainment Group
Alessandro F. Uzielli
Senior Advisor, Global Brand Entertainment
Ford Motor Company
The Advisory Board
Billy Bush
Anchor / Executive Producer
Extra
Erica Cicero
Senior Manager, Global Event Marketing
YETI
Monique Coleman
Actress
Alicia Coppola
Actress
Janet Crown
Owner
Burn 60 Studios
P.J. Dantonello
Manager, Events & Regional Publicity
Netflix
Jillian Kogan Dunn
Founder/President
Fortune Favors the Bold, Inc.
Craig Ferguson
Television Host/Personality
Joshua Gaspero
Co-Founder
Lollipop Theater Network
Lisa Giannakopulos
SVP, Publicity and Promotions
Allied Global Marketing
Dana E. Glauberman
Film Editor
Claire Kaye
President & Founder
Pure Imagination PR
Jessie Kernan
Head of Product & Strategy
We Are Rosie
Spencer Klein
Head of Distribution
Netflix
Yoni Liebling
VP, Development
Red Crown Productions
Katie Lowes
Actress
Machiko Mazzella
Bobby Montes
Owner / Operator
Sloane’s Valley Village Restaurant
Rachel Nichols
Actress
Jim Orr
President, Theatrical Distribution
Universal Pictures
Miranda Rieckhoff
Director, Administration
DreamWorks Animation
Laura Root
Executive Assistant to President
Domestic Theatrical Distribution, Paramount Pictures
Amanda Soll
Director, National Publicity
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Andrew Sunshine
President
The Film Expo Group
