The Just Like You Films story begins here. In 2006, 3 10-year-old girls, came together to raise funds for their local children’s hospital’s burn unit. Caroline, a star in this film, was one of them. She stayed close with one of the child life specialists, Nicki, who cared for her during her burn treatments. Nicki had the vision to make a film for burn survivors that would make it easier for them to return to their lives at home, school and in their community. The 3 girls with help from their moms answered the call, raised the funds and created this film.
Caroline, Samantha, and Peco became the first JLYF stars to bravely step in front of a camera and share their stories of life with a burn injury. This film won an international award. The hospital’s pediatric oncology unit asked them to produce a film for kids with cancer. And, then the Down Syndrome Guild of Greater Kansas City asked them to produce a film for kids with Down syndrome. It was clear that what they thought would be a fun and meaningful project was gaining momentum, the need was great and that they would be making more films. That is when they decided to incorporate as a nonprofit called Just Like You Films and embarked on 11 years of filmmaking that all began with this film. That is when they decided to incorporate as a nonprofit called Just Like You Films and embarked on 17 years of filmmaking that all began with this film.