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Los Angeles Film Festivals Show They Have Heart in 2013
Life Changing Moments, a moving documentary in regards to the medical mission of yankee surgeon Dr. Sherry Thomas to assist women in Uganda experiencing fistula has won two prizes at upcoming Southland film festivals: 1st place for Best Documentary Short on the Los Angeles Cinema Festival of Hollywood and 3rd place in the same category on the Sunset Film Festival of Los Angeles.
A public screening from the film will probably be held in the Sunset Festival on May 12, 6 PM on the White Fire Theater, 13500 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423. For tickets head to: https://sites.google.com/site/sunsetfilmfestivallosangeles/tickets
Also, on the same location in Sherman Oaks, the film will be shown included in the LA Cinema Festival on July 3. For details and tickets, go: www.hollywoodcff.com/ This year, Dr. Thomas, that is also a urogynecologist having a practice in the La area, traveled to Uganda on the invitation of renowned African singer and women’s advocate Halima Namakula. Ms. Namakula asked Dr. Thomas for her assistance for impoverished females and their essential surgeries for fistula repair.
I knew what life was like in another world country, says Dr. Thomas, but I wasn’t prepared for what health care was like. When I realized how easy it had been to repair these women’s problems, I had to help.
Dr. Thomas invited filmmaker Sandra Mohr and Los Angeles Times journalist Wendy Thermos together with her on the visit to produce the a show in regards to the experience. The documentary follows Dr. Thomas’ efforts to provide free medical care to Ugandan women battling with fistula, a hole in the birth canal due to prolonged labor which includes devastating consequences, both medical and social.
The nightmare of living with fistulas is rare in the West as a result of our advanced medical treatment. However in Africa, at least Two million women live with this condition. Often times, the would-be mother becomes an outcast in their community due to severe incontinence, and is rejected by her husband and left to languish alone without friends or family. Uganda has got the 3rd highest rate of fistula in the world.
The film concentrates on the medical and human journey of both a united states and African woman through their experiences with fistula, showing how services in African countries match up against the West. The 18-minute film can be looked at in the non-profit organization’s website http://LifeChangingMoments.org.
In providing this life-changing surgery for that women of Uganda Dr. Thomas herself had a life-changing moment, and founded a non-profit organization, Life Changing Moments, to aid more women in Africa.
The cost with this kind of surgical treatment is only $50-$200 U.S. dollars per patient, Dr. Thomas said. And yet it is truly life-changing for women who is able to certainly be reunited with their families. Our online charity allows you to help and is a terrific way to support the work continuing. Donations towards the non-profit can be made at http://lifechangingmoments.org/category/donations/
Contact: Shirley Louis, 818/991-0988 Life Changing Moments e-mail: lifechangingmoments.org(at)gmail.com website: http://LifeChangingMoments.org. YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNIC-vkSlsg
