How I Live
GHI and P2 take
an innovative approach to storytelling in a new documentary on global pediatric
oncology
Since 2014, the
Global Health Initiative (GHI) has worked closely with Persistent
Productions (P2) in the development
and creation of the documentary, How I
Live. The film looks at the global survival
gap in pediatric oncology and follows the journeys of children with cancer and
their healthcare professionals in Guatemala, El Salvador,
Myanmar, Egypt, and Ghana. The
documentary follows patients during their diagnosis, treatment, and therapy
completion, with complex issues emerging such as the physical, emotional,
financial, infrastructural, transportational, and geographical challenges to
accessing care.
GHI collaborated with
P2 from the onset of the project by guiding the early research, providing
support throughout the various phases of production and editing, and offering
continuous technical and consulting expertise, access to filming locations, and
connections to the research, scientific, and academic community. Codirectors of
the film, Meghan Shea and Mike Rogers, own P2 and were inspired by Meghan’s
brother, Matt Shea, who had been treated at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s
Cancer and Blood Disorders for more than a decade. Meghan and Mike wanted to
learn more about what the childhood cancer journey was like for patients,
families, and healthcare professionals in resource-limited settings, where 80%
of the world’s children live. Discussions between GHI and P2 grew into
pre-production research, production, and eventually, the How I Live film.
“Bridging silos
between science and the arts and forming strong partnerships among different
industries is essential for the improvement of health outcomes and global health
inequities,” said Irini Albanti, DrPH, MPH, MA, the inaugural director of the GHI. “Films
can serve as powerful catalysts for social impact and innovation, and inspire
action for change. The GHI and P2 look forward to continuing this collaboration
through the distribution phase of the film.”
The film was
released in early 2019. You can watch the trailer here:
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