Grandma uses Minecraft to pay for her grandson's cancer treatment

Used by 81 year old grandmother Minecraft as a means of paying for her grandson's cancer treatment. Since its release in 2011, Minecraft is one of the most culturally significant gaming titles and is the best-selling video game of all time, with over 350 million copies sold across multiple platforms. Its success led to a massive franchise that includes a number of spin-off video games and a live-action film adaptation, A movie about Minecraft.

Minecraft social media sites such as YouTube and Twitch also helped, with the game in particular notching up more than one billion views. It still maintains its position among the most watched games on both sites, attracting millions of views annually even after a decade and a half on the market. Its importance extends far beyond its place in the gaming world, its applications are used as educational tools in fields such as chemistry, computer science and computer-aided design.

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Minecraft Player shows off the beautiful Hawkins National Laboratory building from Stranger Things

A talented Minecraft online player recreates Hawkins National Laboratory from Stranger Things in the game.

17-year-old grandson cancer-free thanks to grandma's Minecraft YouTube videos

As GamesRadar reports, an 81-year-old woman named Sue Jacquot started a YouTube channel called GrammaCrackers and started uploading Minecraft video on October 22, 2025 to help her 17-year-old grandson, Jack Self. Jacquot never thought of herself as a gamer before last year, but she made the most of it Minecraft as a means of connecting with his grandson and his brother, Austin Self. She started her YouTube journey just a few months after learning the game, primarily to help Jack, who was diagnosed with sarcoma in 2024 and had to undergo over 200 rounds of chemotherapy.

Her first video titled “The Best Start in Minecraft – Part 1” has garnered over 644,000 views on the platform in less than three months, and GrammaCrackers has gained over 237,000 subscribers. Each of her videos includes a link to Jacquot's GoFundMe page for his cancer treatment, which has currently raised more than $44,000 of its $100,000 goal, excluding Jacquot's YouTube earnings. The family was also visited by ABC 15 where Jack revealed that he is cancer free and currently recovering.

Jacquot's journey through Minecraft is a phenomenal feel-good story that demonstrates gaming's ability to bring others together. An 81-year-old grandmother with minimal previous experience with the medium used Minecraft to bond with her young grandchildren and be able to use that to help him through a very difficult time. It's a reminder that video games really are for everyone, and that a medium once derided by some as a mere childhood hobby can do so much more than anyone could ever imagine.

Self and Jacquot's story and the success these videos have seen on YouTube also speaks to the incredibly passionate community that Minecraft and a way for players to come together for a greater cause. In a few short months, Minecraft the fandom lifted up a family in need and turned a horrific situation into a wholesome, beautiful story. It's another sign of the impact it's having Minecraft continues even 15 years after its first release.