For children confronting serious illnesses, financial hardship, or difficult family circumstances, encouragement can play an important role in how they understand and respond to adversity. For motivational speaker and two-time cancer survivor Coach M J Tolan, that belief has become a central part of his work with Mission: I’M Possible Children’s Charity.
Tolan, who serves as president and co-founder of the nonprofit organization, has drawn upon his experiences with cancer treatment to communicate a message centered on resilience, personal confidence, and the possibility of overcoming difficult circumstances.
Through children’s empowerment events, educational storytelling, and international charitable activities, the organization seeks to introduce that philosophy to young people facing challenges of their own.
Finding Strength During a Personal Health Crisis
Coach M J Tolan’s approach to resilience is closely connected to his experiences undergoing treatment for cancer.
As a two-time cancer survivor, Tolan has spoken about the physical and emotional challenges associated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
During treatment, he developed an unusual way of confronting those experiences: wearing costumes and using humor to change how he approached difficult days.
Rather than allowing his illness to become the defining feature of his personal outlook, Tolan sought ways to maintain a sense of optimism throughout treatment.
According to the organization, these experiences contributed to the development of the “I’M Possible” philosophy, which emphasizes approaching adversity with determination and recognizing opportunities even when circumstances appear limiting.
The philosophy subsequently became an important part of the organization’s messaging to children affected by illness, poverty, and other forms of hardship.
While positive thinking is not a substitute for medical treatment or professional support, the charity’s approach emphasizes the emotional value of encouragement, imagination, and supportive experiences.
A Children’s Charity With Roots in Prague
Although Tolan’s cancer-survival experiences helped shape the organization’s philosophy, Mission: I’M Possible traces its beginnings to an earlier personal milestone.
On November 13, 2000, Tolan and his wife, Viviane, established the initiative in Prague after learning they were expecting twins following seven years without children.
The couple decided to celebrate their news by organizing an event for children living without parental care.
Their first gathering took place at the Prague Zoo, where 37 orphans participated in an event designed to provide an enjoyable and encouraging experience.
During that initial initiative, the couple sponsored a kangaroo at the zoo, naming it Boomerang.
The kangaroo eventually became the inspiration for Boomer the Kangaroo, the organization’s mascot and a character that would later feature in its children’s books.
The organization subsequently expanded beyond Prague, developing empowerment activities for children in different countries.
Today, Mission: I’M Possible operates under the legal name Time 4 Sharing Mission I am Possible Corp and is described by the organization as a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Orlando, Florida.
Connecting Personal Resilience With Children’s Empowerment
One of the distinguishing aspects of Mission: I’M Possible’s approach is its emphasis on encouragement through shared experiences and interactive activities.
The organization conducts events intended to help children experience enjoyment, recognition, and a sense of personal possibility.
Its “Mission: I’M Possible Fun Day” programs bring together entertainment and activities with messages about confidence, determination, and overcoming challenges.
For children affected by serious illnesses, such activities are intended to offer positive experiences beyond the routines and difficulties associated with their circumstances.
The organization also seeks to reach children experiencing economic hardship and other social challenges.
According to Mission: I’M Possible, it has organized more than 150 children’s empowerment events since its establishment.
Its activities have taken place in countries including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Lebanon, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, the Philippines, Ghana, Kenya, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the United States.
The organization reports that its combined events and publishing activities have reached more than 20,000 children across twelve countries.
These figures represent the organization’s own estimates of its historical outreach.
The Role of Storytelling in Building Confidence
Beyond its in-person programs, Mission: I’M Possible has incorporated children’s literature into its activities.
The organization’s mascot, Boomer the Kangaroo, has become the central character in a series of books intended to introduce young readers to the themes of resilience and possibility.
Titles associated with the series include The I’M Possible Adventures of Boomer the Kangaroo and Boomer Saves the Night.
Through fictional adventures, the books explore ideas about confronting obstacles, maintaining confidence, and recognizing personal strengths.
The publishing initiative reflects the organization’s broader effort to communicate its message through formats that children can understand and engage with.
For young readers experiencing difficult circumstances, storytelling can provide opportunities to explore challenges through fictional characters and situations.
In April 2026, Mission: I’M Possible held a book-signing event at Barnes & Noble in Orlando, Florida, in connection with a new Boomer the Kangaroo publication.
The event received support from Raymond Banzuela International Publishing Services as part of its corporate social responsibility activities.
The books represent an extension of the organization’s original empowerment events, allowing its central message to reach children outside the locations where those events are conducted.
Expanding the Mission Across International Communities
Mission: I’M Possible’s activities have continued to develop through international children’s empowerment programs.
In 2026, the organization announced International Children’s Day activities involving communities in the Philippines, Ghana, Kenya, and Sri Lanka.
These initiatives were designed around the organization’s established focus on creating encouraging experiences for children facing difficult circumstances.
The charity’s international approach reflects its belief that challenges involving illness, poverty, and limited opportunities affect children across different countries and cultural backgrounds.
Although the circumstances of individual children vary, the organization seeks to communicate a consistent message through its activities: that personal potential should not be defined solely by adversity.
A Personal Experience That Continues to Shape the Mission
More than two decades after the first gathering at the Prague Zoo, Mission: I’M Possible continues to connect its charitable activities with the experiences and philosophy of its co-founder.
For Coach M J Tolan, the organization’s work brings together two important parts of his personal history: the experience of becoming a parent and the lessons he associates with surviving cancer.
Those experiences have helped shape a nonprofit initiative that combines children’s empowerment events, literacy programs, and educational storytelling.
The organization continues to use Boomer the Kangaroo and its “I’M Possible” philosophy to communicate messages about courage, determination, and personal potential.
As Mission: I’M Possible approaches its 26th anniversary in November 2026, its activities reflect an ongoing effort to turn personal experiences of gratitude and resilience into opportunities for children facing challenges around the world.
