Editorial & Storytelling
- Rafael Ramos
- Dec 3, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 13, 2025
25 Years of Instituto Heleninha — Stories That Change Lives
A printed anniversary book, an interactive digital version, a podcast series, and a landing page celebrating 25 years of stories, care, and specialized transportation for young cancer patients and their caregivers.
Client: Instituto Heleninha
Year: 2025
Role: Art direction, illustration, graphic design, UX for the digital book, and support for the landing page launch campaign.
Who is Instituto Heleninha?
Instituto Heleninha is a nonprofit that, for 25 years, has supported children, teens, and their families in moments of deep vulnerability.
At the heart of its work is specialized transportation for young oncology patients and their caregivers - making sure they get to treatment safely and return home with dignity and care. Over time, the Institute has also built a strong support network of volunteers, healthcare professionals, sponsors, and partners who believe hope is something you practice every day.
Briefing — 25 years of stories and solidarity
The challenge was to create a 25-year anniversary book that would be more than an institutional record: it needed to feel personal—an emotional keepsake bringing together real stories from staff, families served, caregivers, and volunteers.
The project had to balance memory, accessibility, and production cost: a print-friendly format, but with strong visual and emotional impact. The content included intimate, powerful testimonials from the Institute’s journey, highlighting how specialized transportation changes families’ lives.
Support: Aira Comunicação e Design, FECAP, Mitu Studios, Magic Indústria Gráfica
Project concept: Tatiana Piccardi
Interviews, writing & editing: Ana Cristina de Andrade Silva, Anna Elizabeth Balocco, Marcia TellesDesign & illustration: Rafa Ramos
Printing: Magic
Concept
Stories that change lives / A journey of hope
The starting point was turning the idea of a journey into visuals: a path with beginnings, turns, challenges, and an arrival—always guided by hope.
The concept blends warmth with professionalism: playful, accessible design aligned with the Institute’s visual identity, bringing families’ real stories closer without losing editorial care. Illustrations create a welcoming, optimistic atmosphere, while real photos add authenticity and emotional depth.
The yellow, pink, and blue palette connects to the symbolism of the “Trina Flame” (often linked to love, wisdom, and strength)—values that echo the Institute’s mission to provide whole-person care, balancing empathy, technical excellence, and resilience. Elements like trees and buildings bridge the spiritual and everyday: growth, grounding, and real presence in families’ lives.
What did I create?
Original illustrations
Graphic design for the printed book
Interactive digital version
Spotify podcast series with narrated stories
Launch landing page + supporting materials for the event
Asset 1 - Illustrations: cover, the road, and the arrival
Journey illustrations — cover, the road, and the arrival
Asset 2 — Graphic design — printed book
The book was designed in a square format, with a flexible grid that holds text, illustrations, and photos without sacrificing readability. The layout balances breathing room with denser text blocks, keeping the reading flow smooth and inviting.
Inside pages mix illustrated elements with real images, creating a visual rhythm that moves between emotion, information, and pause—always respecting the institutional tone and the human side of each story.
Asset 3 — Interactive digital bo
Free interactive digital version
Based on the printed design, I adapted the content into an interactive digital version, making it easier to share with sponsors, partners, and anyone interested.
Navigation was built to feel intuitive, with a clickable table of contents, theme-based chapters, and special focus on first-person stories. The goal was to keep the same sensitive, human experience of print—while expanding reach and shareability.
Asset 4 — Spotify podcast series
Podcast series — stories that change lives
The podcast series “25 anos do Instituto Heleninha” was made possible by FECAP – Fundação Escola de Comércio Álvares Penteado and is part of the Institute’s anniversary celebration—an organization known for welcoming families and helping ensure access to cancer treatment for children and teens in São Paulo.
With FECAP’s recording structure and technical support, the series features 32 real stories, narrated by Prof. Dr. Júlia Lúcia de Oliveira Albano da Silva, journalist Márcia Telles, and me, Rafael Ramos—the designer behind the book that inspired the audio project.
The launch event in São Paulo brought partners and supporters together to celebrate the Institute’s journey and reinforce the importance of communication and education as tools for social change.
Asset 5 - Launch landing page
To support the launch campaign, I also developed the official 25-year landing page, bringing everything together: project details, access to the digital book, the podcast series link, and donation instructions.
The page follows the same visual language as the book—reinforcing the journey-and-hope concept—focused on clarity, strong information hierarchy, and well-defined CTAs.
Launch night, moments, and thanks
On October 25, 2025, the project came to life in a launch night filled with reunions, emotion, and so many stories being shared. Seeing the book in people’s hands—flipped through and signed—made months of work feel real, and honored 25 years of dedication from Instituto Heleninha.
It was an honor to contribute to this chapter of the Institute’s story, bringing together design, illustration, narrative, and audio to celebrate a legacy of hope and care.
Support Instituto Heleninha
If you’d like to support the Institute’s work and help keep specialized transportation available for young oncology patients, you can donate directly:
CNPJ (Brazilian tax ID): 03.873.905/0001-64
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