|
Greetings, 
Please read
the press release for the screening of
the film Bad Blood, A Cautionary Tale, a film by
Marilyn Ness.
The
screening will take place on July 28, 2010, in New York City,
with further screening dates to be announced, in both
Washington, DC and San Francisco, California. The National
Hemophilia Foundation is supporting the release of the film as
an outreach partner along with a coalition of national gay
rights and hemophilia advocacy groups including Gay Men’s
Health Crisis (GMHC), Committee of Ten Thousand (COTT),
Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA) and World Federation of
Hemophilia (WFH).
Marilyn
Ness, the film maker, and the coalition anticipate that this
film will be aired on PBS in the near future. NHF has purchased
copies for its member organizations that will be distributed in
the next few weeks. Each outreach partner was given the
opportunity to film a short introduction on behalf of their
organization for the beginning of the film, so your copy will
include a short introduction by me, as a member of the bleeding
disorders community.
Bad
Blood came to my attention sometime before I became CEO of
NHF, and I have personally provided support for the project. The
film reflects our community’s unique history with the
nation’s blood supply and the sacrifices the bleeding
disorder community have made on behalf of all Americans. The
film also depicts historical events that must be preserved for
the public and the lessons learned for future generations.
It is my
hope that this film will help bring about the reconciliation and
grace this community wants and needs to move beyond what
occurred during that dark time, and for there to be
reconciliation and grace, there must be truth. As one who also
lost much during that time, as my wife died of AIDs in 1992, it
is my greatest hope that we all watch this with open hearts and
minds. For this community to truly heal from what occurred, we
must not use this film to continue to blame but rather open
ourselves to understanding the full responsibility for what is
the most complex and sensitive issue of our past. And to ensure
something like this never happens again, we must look to
ourselves. Unless we take full responsibility for our own
present and future, and move into it, we are doomed to repeat
this past.
How to view the
film
Your chapter
will be given a copy of the DVD in the next few weeks. We
encourage you to use it to educate donors, community leaders and
organizational partners. The film serves as an excellent
historical background for the events that took place during the
epidemic as well as a view from the patients and providers
involved. The film will leave many with a sense of sadness but
also a desire to act and that will be your opportunity to
inspire those in attendance to support your organizations work.
Your work in collaboration with NHF serves research, supports
blood safety and ensures access for all those dependant on
blood, blood products and a national health care solution. I
recommend whenever possible to view the film with a mixed
audience that invites others outside our community to share the
experience and the inspiration to act on behalf of others. I
would encourage you to set up an expert panel that includes
clinicians, physicians and industry to follow any screening and
ensure a full discussion. I would also recommend a skilled
facilitator who is knowledgeable about the history and issues
for the follow up discussions.
We have
worked together to address blood safety issues, develop stronger
relations with our physicians and enhance our partnership with
industry to improve the products we rely on and desire for the
future. We must continue that collaborations not only among
ourselves but in the light of the general public who we are
about to educate about our history.
We here at
NHF, including myself, are available to support your efforts in
educating all about these important events and will provide any
technical assistance or participation you my desire in promoting
the film. Please don’t hesitant to contact us and thank
you for your continued work on behalf of the bleeding disorder
community.
Sincerely,
Val D. Bias,
CEO |
