Cosplaying for a Cause
Photography by Justin Mikkelsen Photography
Shannon McFly/ShadowMcFly
It was my late friend and founder of the Portland Superheroes Coalition, Brady Gage, who showed me that cosplay could be something more than strutting around a convention floor as cameras flash. That you could harness that attention cosplay draws and use it to do something more. To help make a difference.
However, I never anticipated the difference I could make with something as simple as an orange vest.
In 2013 I watched a movie that would change my life and set me on a path I never could have anticipated. As soon as the credits began rolling, I began planning a Marty McFly cosplay from beloved 80s film classic, Back to the Future. This was the beginning of an unimaginable journey: I met the cast and crew of the film, met my hero Michael J. Fox, attended We’re Going Back in 2015 (the largest Back to the Future event in history), visited the filming locations, made an appearance at an event for Nike, and learned how to hoverboard.
At my first Wizard World Comic Con in Portland, Oregon in 2014, I saw my very first DeLorean time machine, and met the couple who not only owned it, but built it. Adrenaline surging and eyes wide, I nervously approached the vehicle. I was met with four enthusiastic words that launched a life-changing friendship: “Marty! You made it!”.
The couple who owned the car was none other than Back to the Future community legends, Oliver and Terry Holler. On that fateful day, I learned about Team Fox, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, and Parkinson’s disease itself for the first time. Parkinson’s is a degenerative neurological disease currently without a cure. Those afflicted experience tremors, muscle stiffness, and movement disorders that gradually worsen over time. Worldwide, six million people live with Parkinson’s. Oliver and Terry have a remarkable story: after Oliver was given a horrific cancer diagnosis in the year 2000 with six months to live, the Hollers invested everything they had into purchasing a DeLorean to cross an item off Oliver’s bucket list: building his dream car. However, in a stunning twist of fate, Oliver beat insurmountable odds. Oliver and Terry now travel around the United States and the world raising funds and awareness for The Michael J. Fox Foundation through the Foundation’s grassroots community fundraising division, Team Fox. Since 2006, the Hollers have traveled with their DeLorean to all 50 states, 28 countries, and have raised well over $800,000 for Parkinson’s research.
Needless to say after meeting them, I was inspired to do what I could to help too.
Photography by Kupkaphoto
I continued to work on my Marty cosplay, relentlessly striving to locate screen-accurate pieces and props, in a show of dedication that would earn me notoriety in the community. It was one thing to build the Marty McFly cosplay I dreamed of having when I first started my journey in 2013, but I wanted to use it for something bigger than myself. Inspired by Oliver, Terry, Brady, and Michael J. Fox, I wanted more than anything to use my cosplay to help raise funds and awareness for Team Fox and Parkinson’s disease. That dream was realized in 2016, and I’ve since had the privilege of joining the Hollers at conventions with their Team Fox DeLorean across the United States as Marty McFly, assisting in their fundraising efforts to make Parkinson’s disease a thing of the past.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation has been an unrelenting trailblazer in the advancement of finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease by funding research. An impressive $0.88 of every single dollar raised goes directly to funding groundbreaking research. Through the community-driven Team Fox, everybody has the ability to donate to their favorite fundraiser (mine is ToTheFuture.org!) or begin their own fundraising on their very own Team Fox fundraising page. A brilliant, free app called Charity Miles also allows users to partake in the physical activity of their choice, with per-mileage proceeds raised going directly to the charity specified. In the absence of events due to the pandemic, I got creative and hosted a solo-fundraising walk with all proceeds benefitting Team Fox. With a $100 goal set, my friends, family, and community shattered my expectations as I crossed the finish line with an astounding $1,100 raised for Parkinson’s research.
Aside from fundraising, a direct way to contribute to Parkinson’s research is through the volunteer-driven clinical study initiative called Fox Insight. Fox Insight gathers information and data from both those afflicted with Parkinson’s and those without, and connects that data to the research community. Fox Insight is open to everybody, and will only cost you about 30 minutes of your time per study visit.
Epic Photo Ops, Calgary 2019
In 2019, my years of cosplaying as Marty amounted to a single moment at Calgary Expo. I joined Oliver and Terry in Canada to volunteer with the DeLorean at the Team Fox booth, with the added bonus of being able to meet Michael J. Fox again (my first time being in 2016). In a divine and bizarre turn of events, after getting my autographs from Michael, I had to go back to speak with one of his handlers. Against all odds, Michael was still there after the massive signing session. Not engaging him out of respect, I sorted the issue I needed to, when Michael suddenly locks eyes with me and proceeds to stand up. He asks for my vest, and I begin to hear white noise as I fail to comprehend what’s currently unfolding. He insists, “Your vest. Can I sign your vest?”. Before I can even begin to process this moment, my name is asked and with a graceful swoop of a Sharpie, the inner right side of my vest is signed by my hero: “Shannon, love Michael J. Fox.”
Photography by Justin Mikkelsen Photography
Cosplayers are some of the most passionate people I know. If you can harness that passion, that creativity, and direct it to giving back to the community through your art, you would be surprised at the positive impact you can make.
Sometimes, all that takes is an orange vest.
