works . See what it 's like to play the game '' Pamela Omidyar , wife of eBay founder Pierre Omidyar , came up with the idea for the game . A former lab technician and avid video game player , she thought kids could learn a lot by experiencing the treatment process in a vivid way . That led her to launch HopeLab , a non-profit that took Re-Mission from the drawing board to an actual product . The organization , which focuses on using technology to create positive health outcomes in kids , was recently recognized by U.S. President Barack Obama for its innovative approach to tackling health challenges . Players control a tiny robot who travels through the human body to destroy harmful cancer cells . Along the way , she breaks down complex medical terminology and explains what 's going on when the body undergoes treatment like chemotherapy . By making cancer a visible foe , Re-Mission gives kids a different mental view of who their enemy is , said Dr. Steve Cole , vice president of research at HopeLab . That 's something that teenagers around the world can benefit from . Video games like
LONDON , England -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Dan Neumann was a 14-year-old struggling against cancer when he came across an unexpected ally in his battle . Cancer survivor Dan Neumann plays Re-Mission and is helping create the game 's next edition . He was receiving treatment for leukemia at Lucile Packard Children 's Hospital at Stanford University in 2004 when he saw a flyer inviting teenage cancer patients to test a new video game . A self-described gamer , Neumann says he was immediately drawn to the posting . He signed up to try it and was won over by the game , which simulated what goes on inside the bodies of cancer patients . `` When you go through cancer treatment , chemotherapy becomes something you dread , '' Neumann , now 19 , recalled . `` But with the game you 're actively playing something and shooting cells . '' That game eventually became Re-Mission , a video game that 's helping teenagers around the world in their fight against cancer . Since its release in 2006 , more than 145,000 free copies have been distributed , and now a new version of the game is in the