The idea of addressing the topic arose out of the “MeetingDoc – Leucemia” programme, the aim of which is to generate and disseminate leukaemia-related audiovisual content in the form of documentaries, based on interaction between students and patients.
The main objective of this programme is to raise awareness of the factors surrounding the disease, as well as the importance of donating bone marrow as a cure for numerous blood cancer patients. According to Nuria Marieges, coordinator of the Register of Bone Marrow Donors at the Josep Carreras Foundation, “over 300,000 cases of leukaemia are detected each year worldwide, and over 5,000 in Spain”.
As a result, 3rd-year Audiovisual Students, as part of the subject Documentary, taught by lecturer Ricard Mamblona, had the opportunity to attend an information session on leukaemia given by Marta Fernández from the Department of Communication at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Foundation, one of the institutions involved in this project, and which featured Miquel, Albert and Laura, three leukaemia survivors and the central figures of each of the three documentaries.
The students were divided into three groups and given several weeks to plan and film their documentary. All three are positive stories of acceptance, of struggle, of overcoming the disease, and emphasise the donors’ generosity and love. According to Mamblona, “the students succeeded in conveying the protagonists’ personal stories in a powerful way, through an intense –and sometimes difficult– creative process that was also highly enriching and educational for everyone, creators, protagonists and spectators”.
The documentaries, which were screened last Wednesday, are: Miguel, whose protagonist was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia 17 years ago and received a bone marrow transplant from his sister; The Greatest Gift, about Albert, who overcame acute lymphoblastic leukaemia thanks to a bone marrow transplant from a related donor identified by the Josep Carreras Foundation; and Laura y la resiliencia [Laura and Resilience], whose central figure overcame myeloid leukaemia thanks to a bone marrow transplant from her brother.
