Robbyn Foxx, head of production at Santa Monica-based harvest, has cystic fibrosis and needs two lung donors. Her pulmonary functions have decreased by 50 percent since January. Foxx, 34, has been in and out of the hospital several times this year and is now back in again.
In-between her hospital stays, Foxx has managed to work at harvest, contributing to various projects. Last month, Foxx made the waiting list for lung transplants from cadavers. However, she may not be able to survive the 18 to 24 months often necessary to land cadaver donors. So now her colleagues at harvest, as well as her family and other friends, are trying to assemble a list of possible live donors.
The ideal candidate for a donor is male, 35 or younger, at least six feet tall, and a nonsmoker with either O-negative or O-positive blood. However, candidates are not limited to just this type of donor.
For those who would like additional info, contact Tony N. Hodges, M.D., assistant professor of medicine, medical director of lung transplantation, USC University Hospital, Los Angeles, at (323) 442-4419.
"The staff here has tried to fight back the tears and do something positive for Robbyn," related harvest co-founder/executive producer Bonnie Goldfarb. "The most productive thing we can do at this point is just get the word out about the need for prospective donors to come forward."
This life-and-death situation puts in proper perspective the daily industry work that often preoccupies us. On one hand, such endeavors seem relatively meaningless. On the other, certain work takes on greater importance.
A relevant example of the latter is the Kangaroo Project, reported on three months ago (SHOOT, 4/25, p. 1). Sponsored by the nonprofit Sean Francis Foundation in order to mentor promising creative and filmmaking talent via the production of worthwhile public service ad work that is guaranteed airtime, the Kangaroo Project is in the second year of its annual competitions. The 2003 Kangaroo Project is looking to create and produce a PSA that promotes organ donation. A winning concept has already been selected from a field of entries from creatives throughout the country. Now, directorial entrants are submitting treatments so that they can be considered to helm the project.
In its inaugural year of ’02, the Kangaroo Project yielded the creation of a motorcycle traffic safety PSA, "Oblivious Guy," for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Members of the Minneapolis community donated their talent, time, services and resources to the project, which was produced on a modest budget. Additionally, industry professionals mentored career aspirants on different disciplines during the production and postproduction of "Oblivious Guy," which went on to gain airtime.
This time, the aforementioned PSA topic is organ donation, and a Web site (www.kangarooproject.com) has been set up for those interested in getting involved in the Kangaroo Project. The Fairview University Transplant Center, Minneapolis, has committed to secure airtime for the organ donation PSA. With that spot slated to be completed in October, the Transplant Center sees it as a cornerstone of a campaign to help promote its Transplant Games, in which people who have undergone transplants, as well as organ donors from around the world, gather to compete in different athletic events. Held every two years in different global venues, the Transplant Games are next set for July ’04 in Minneapolis.
Bob Barrie, a creative group head at Fallon, Minneapolis, served as a concept competition judge last year. He said the Kangaroo Project experience was gratifying on several levels, but most notably because it resulted in "a powerful commercial for a great cause."
