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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 American surgeon Dr. Sherry Thomas to aid 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 identical category in the Sunset Film Festival of Los Angeles.
A public screening from the film is going to be held at the Sunset Festival on May 12, 6 PM at the White Fire Theater, 13500 Ventura Blvd. Sherman Oaks, CA 91423. For tickets head to: https://sites.google.com/site/sunsetfilmfestivallosangeles/tickets
Also, in the same location in Sherman Oaks, the film is going to be shown as part of the LA Cinema Festival on July 3. For details and tickets, go: www.hollywoodcff.com/ In 2012, Dr. Thomas, that is another urogynecologist with a practice within the La area, traveled to Uganda on the invitation of renowned African singer and women’s advocate Halima Namakula. Ms. Namakula asked Dr. Thomas on her behalf assistance in treating impoverished ladies and their much needed surgeries for fistula repair.
I knew what life was as with another world country, says Dr. Thomas, but I wasn’t ready for what health care was like. Once i realized how easy it had been to correct these women’s problems, I had to help.
Dr. Thomas invited filmmaker Sandra Mohr and Los Angeles Times journalist Wendy Thermos along with her about the visit to make the a film concerning the experience. The documentary follows Dr. Thomas’ efforts to give free medical treatment to Ugandan women struggling with fistula, an opening in the birth canal caused by prolonged labor which includes devastating consequences, both medical and social.
The nightmare of living with fistulas is rare in the western world because of our advanced medical treatment. However in Africa, a minimum of 2 million women live with this particular condition. Many times, the would-be mother becomes an outcast in her own community as a result of severe incontinence, and it is rejected by her husband and left to languish alone without family or friends. Uganda gets the 3rd highest rate of fistula on earth.
The film targets the medical and human journey of both a united states and African woman through their experiences with fistula, showing how services in African countries equate to free airline. The 18-minute film can be viewed in the non-profit organization’s website http://LifeChangingMoments.org.
In providing this life-changing surgery for that women of Uganda Dr. Thomas herself were built with a life-changing moment, and founded a non-profit organization, Life Changing Moments, to assist more women in Africa.
The cost because of this form of surgery is only $50-$200 U.S. dollars per patient, Dr. Thomas said. And yet it really is truly life-changing for ladies who are able to easily be reunited with their families. Our online charity makes it simple to assist and is also a terrific way to support the work continuing. Donations to the non-profit can be produced 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
