Bricks and Smiles - the Zac Minty legacy project

Bricks and Smiles - the Zac Minty legacy project was borne out of 11-year-old Zac Minty's dream to give kids facing cancer the chance to pick out their dream LEGO sets and escape treatment even momentarily, through creating something wonderful.

He also wanted to help find a cure for Rhabdomyosarcoma and other cancers so that in the future children don’t have to go through what he did.

Sadly Zac passed away from Rhabdomyosarcoma on 29 May 2022 after an almost 3-year battle.

 

Like many kids, Zac loved LEGO growing up. But after his cancer diagnosis at age 9 in 2019, LEGO took on a new meaning for him. Zac's initial treatment was 6 months of chemotherapy and radiation. He experienced bad nerve damage from a chemotherapy drug and had difficulty walking and using his fingers. LEGO was prescribed by the Occupational Therapist as a way to regain function. It helped, and whats more he loved doing it.

After 9 months in remission, Zac’s cancer came back. He had surgery to remove his right eye and orbit and from then on he was on constant treatment.

During his hospitalisations or at home, LEGO was something that captured Zac’s imagination and gave him joy. He could zone out from all of his treatment and create something amazing. It gave him a sense of control when so much else was out of his control. From the thrill of picking a new design from Lego’s incredible collections (the Kombi van! the Life Typewriter! The Taj Mahal! the Star Wars Tie Fighter!) to the smiles on completion – he wanted other kids to share this joy.

Zac’s family are working on this by establishing Bricks and Smiles, a project in Zac’s honour. It is envisaged that through a simple QR code, oncology kids can apply for a grant of Lego. They can then pick their dream set(s) and it will be sent to them – either on the hospital ward or at home. Bricks and Smiles will also work to fund children’s cancer research – especially sarcomas for which there have been few advancements in treatment options for the last two decades.

On behalf of Zac's family and friends, thank you for your generous support in making Zac's dream to help other kids undergoing cancer treatment a reality. The project website is www.bricksandsmiles.org. We will provide updates on the progress of Zac's legacy. 

 

Rest in peace now Zac, we miss you deeply and you are forever in our hearts x