Support Hep-C Documentary Film!

http://store.yahoo.com/yhst-67862112537542/hesuhecdofi1.html

From their website:

"The film is being produced by Lichtenstein Creative Media, the Peabody Award-winning producer of public television and radio programs focusing on health and related social issues. Our work includes The Infinite Mind, the highly-acclaimed national, weekly public radio series, and West 47th Street, the award-winning documentary film about four people living with serious mental illness which will just aired on the PBS-TV series P.O.V. this past summer to overwhelming reviews ("Must see" - Newsweek; "Remarkable" - Washington Post; "A life-altering cinema experience." - Tulsa World)."

I just made a tax-deductible donation to help make sure this film sees the light of day.    Hope you'll join me.

[snook_man]

I'll put in a donation also.. Man, now if I only would have gotten it in before the end of year..

[Califia]

Yes, but just think about all the fat medical deductions for 2005....!

[Laika]

Also from the website:
"This groundbreaking documentary will explore the scope of the epidemic through the stories of those affected, will examine why more was not done to alert the public to this epidemic, and will investigate the shocking failures of those responsible for insuring the safety of the nation's blood supply; it's the story of AIDS combined with R.J. Reynolds.

We are hopeful that the film will generate a much-needed national dialogue about this fatal virus, with the goal of earlier and increased diagnosis of those affected and greater public support for research and treatments. This groundbreaking 90-minute documentary will be accompanied by a one-hour public radio program and community and educational outreach effort. Together they will offer an engaging account of those living with the illness, along with a comprehensive examination of the disease from the medical, scientific, social, political, public health and economic perspectives."

I contributed.  Thanks Califia.

[Amerabrit]

Thank you.  I will donate, also.

[cuteus]

when is it going to be aired? I couldn't read too much, since I am at work.

[Tallblonde]

I totally embrace their concept, but I do take exception to their use of the term "fatal virus."  Those words certainly give the impression that ALL who contract it are doomed -- when in reality, only a very, very small percentage actually die of HCV.  

I think it's wonderful that they want to raise awareness, but I hope they don't mislead the public into thinking this is a "fatal virus."  If that's the case, none of us should ever tell our employers that we have HCV -- we'll certainly be written off as dead meat and we can kiss opportunities for advancement goodbye.

Raising awareness is a noble cause as long as TRUTH isn't compromised in the process.  Just my 2 cents worth.

Susan

[Tallblonde]

A few more ramblings as an addendum to my post above....

Why doesn't the media refer to diabetes as a "fatal disease"?  In many ways, it's far more devastating than HCV.  Same with multiple sclerosis.  I know several people who have died from it, but it's never refered to as a fatal disease. The same could be said about many other afflictions.

So why is HCV ususally portrayed by the media as being so deadly? Heck, an infected hangnail can be deadly, and I'm sure many people have died from that, but it would be absurd to broadly characterize the condition that way.

I'm not trying to minimize the seriousness of HCV; I simply don't like exaggerated claims and the tendency to catastrophize the disease.

Any thoughts on this?

Susan

[Califia]

I hear you.  I wasn't too happy with their copywriter's statement that HCV is a "symptom-less" disease, either.   But it certainly makes for a more lurid story line, doesn't it?   From blissful unawareness to endstage disease just like that--now that's attention-getting.   Everyday garden-variety fatigue with its cumulative loss of productivity is a far less dramatic subject, definitely not ready for primetime.  (How DO you make chronic fatigue visually interesting?)   Anyway, feel free to contact them and share with them what you know.   I'm definitely going to.