UK: Jen wants to know what Canary in a Coalmine audience should do after seeing the film

[Sasha]

Interesting post on Jen Brea's Facebook page (my bolding):

https://www.facebook.com/canaryfilm/posts/426251000845972

We are in the process of writing an application for a major UK grant and I am thinking more and more about what outreach efforts around the film might look like in the UK.

We plan to be in touch with several patient organizations to pose the same question, but PwME on the internet and in the UK: what do you think our outreach plan should look like?

If you had to pick one goal and one action audiences would take after seeing the film in pursuit of that goal, what would it be?​

There are a lot of responses on Facebook - I don't want to divert responses from Facebook to here but for those who don't use FB and can't post there, maybe someone could post a link to this thread for Jen so she can see any responses here.

 

[Sinclair]

I would have a short term goal: making easier for PwME to be recognized as having a serious condition, particularly by social security and health insurance people. Thus this would be my picked audience.

As a long term goal I'd try to create new links between clinicians < researchers (in different areas that might help) and < people in charge of funding research

 

[Sasha]

I don't know if she's thinking of targeting specific audiences - I think her question is more what action would you want a general audience to take, having seen the film.

But I think that trying to get the film in front of particular audiences would be good. I'd especially like to see it getting in front of medics (and medical students).

More than that, I'd like to see it on one of the big five terrestrial TV channels, not just being shown at special screenings in cinemas. Channel 4 (or was it 5?) showed "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" - I think there's an appetite for well-made documentaries.

 

[Cheesus]

I don't know if she's thinking of targeting specific audiences - I think her question is more what action would you want a general audience to take, having seen the film.

Simply to act with greater kindness and compassion for those with CFS/ME (and others with 'invisible' illnesses). That is all we really need.

 

[Christopher]

Simply to act with greater kindness and compassion for those with CFS/ME (and others with 'invisible' illnesses). That is all we really need.

I'll take a few million dollars over any kindness and compassion.

 

[xchocoholic]

Run any possible applicable diagnostic tests on pwME immediately. Virals, nk, etc etc.

Hopefully this video will get researchers interested and motivated.

Tc .. x

 

[Sasha]

Simply to act with greater kindness and compassion for those with CFS/ME (and others with 'invisible' illnesses). That is all we really need.

Actually I think we need shedloads of research money!

Seriously, we have quite the shopping list: the adoption of sensible disease criteria, education of NHS personnel about the biomedical evidence, funding for biomedical research, the adoption of ME by an appropriate medical speciality, etc.

 

[Nielk]

We need to be realistic here with what a regular viewer watching the documentary can accomplish.

They could attach fundraising sights to the end of the movie.

In addition, I would ask each viewer to raise awareness about how devastating this disease really is. Each viewer should take the responsibility to tell five other people about what they learned about the disease. This can exponentially have a huge reach out.

 

[Cheesus]

Actually I think we need shedloads of research money!

Seriously, we have quite the shopping list: the adoption of sensible disease criteria, education of NHS personnel about the biomedical evidence, funding for biomedical research, the adoption of ME by an appropriate medical speciality, etc.

I was answering the question what we can ask from a 'general audience'.

 

[Cheesus]

I'll take a few million dollars over any kindness and compassion.

I doubt a 'general audience' that has no kindness or compassion towards our cause would consider donating a few million dollars. Capture hearts and minds, the dollars will follow.

 

[Sasha]

I was answering the question what we can ask from a 'general audience'.

So was I! I'd like the film to be followed by a request to donate to biomedical research so that we can catch them in the heat of the moment when the full horror of the situation has just struck them.

I don't think we're disagreeing, Cheesus - I think we'd both like both compassion and cash, if we can get them.

 

[Gingergrrl]

I do not have Facebook and asked this in another thread, but does anyone know when this film will be released and how one can see it?