A new campaign from the BC Children’s Hospital is reimagining a classic Christmas carol as a “rallying cry” for the children it treats.

The campaign, called “I’ll Be Home,” is launching Nov. 1 and was developed by the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation (BCCHF) – the institution’s fundraising arm – with its creative partner, 123w.

Employing the carol “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” the spot builds upon the brand’s platform, “Small is Mighty,” which launched last year. It showcases several of the institution’s 130,000 seriously ill patients, demonstrating how even just a few dollars of support from a donor can help turn the tide for research and treatment of the conditions keeping those children in hospital over the holidays.

“‘I’ll Be Home’ sends a powerful message: never doubt what small can do,” explains Surina Sproul, VP of brand strategy for the BCCHF. “Kids at the hospital are often facing the unthinkable. But in the face of their reality, they are more tenacious and resilient than we give them credit for on their journey to get back home. The campaign hopes to inspire the same spirit in donors.”

The campaign is anchored by a minute-long spot that depicts some of the struggles the hospital’s patients might face by recasting them as those children might, using imaginative elements such as infinite hallways and heavy snowfall to represent their internal and external challenges.

The custom composition of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is used to “spotlight the emotional journey of the patients – and turn it into a rallying cry,” says Marie Cermakova, associate creative director at 123w.

“Instead of a sad, somber yearning for home, we’re showing that these kids are fighting to get there,” she adds. “But they can’t do it on their own.”

The campaign is also rolling out across OOH (employing portraits of real BC Children’s Hospital patients) and over radio (where the custom composition of the carol will be used heavily), as well as online – including across social.