Laughter in the Wind: a young woman's fight against leukemia

Synopsis

Erica Murray's deeply personal journey living with leukemia, and her unique struggle as a multi-racial individual.

Note:Please email me if you donate, so that I have your email and can thank you, and provide you with updates: naomiture@gmail.com.  To view a high quality version of the video, go to: http://www.cvfaber.com/APerfectDonor.html

Erica Murray is a young, vivacious woman charging through life, love and big dreams when her life is derailed with the diagnosis of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. As an ethnic minority, Erica has a one-in-a-million chance to find a bone marrow match, a transplant from a donor that will save her life.

Against the odds, she and her sister Jaci embark on a campaign to save Erica’s life. Erica becomes an activist, encouraging minority youth to get on the marrow registry, while her rollercoaster journey takes Jaci's life through unexpected turns. The zest with which Erica lives each day, the candor with which she confronts mortality, and the humor with which she faces each difficult moment, brings us on a deeply personal and inspiring journey.

 

 

Budget:

$ 12,000.00

Project's Financial Needs

We are seeking $12,000 in funding to complete production in SF, Boston and NYC, and edit a rough cut of the the feature-length documentary, which will be used to submit to funders.  We've gone this far with an almost entirely volunteer crew, but to finish the feature, need financial support from individual and institutional donors to push this through to its completion!

The video you see is a six-minute short touching on Erica's experience as a leukemia patient in search of a bone marrow donor. It is intended to encourage minority viewers to learn more and get on the bone marrow registry.  Both the National Bone Marrow Registry and the Asian American Donor Program (currently embarking on a multiethnic campaign) will be using it on their websites and in their campaigns.

The feature length documentary will explore the deeper existential issues inherent in Erica's journey and the transformative power of her experience on those around her.  It will also provide an opportunity for a much wider exposure to this issue and to the ease with which many lives could be saved. It's a stark calculation, but leukemia patients' chances of survival depend on the number of people motivated enough to get on the registry and donate.

 

Current stage of production

Production

Estimated Completion Date

12/01/2010