Films That Inspire Hope Fundraiser to Introduce Awareness-Raising Film Projects and a New Name

Films That Inspire Hope Fundraiser to Introduce Awareness-Raising Film Projects and a New Name

PELHAM, NY, Nov. 5, 2014 – The Nov. 22 “Films To Inspire Hope” fundraiser will support two film projects aimed at raising awareness about the new childhood epidemics: autism, ADHD, asthma, allergies and autoimmune conditions. Two nonprofit organizations, each with their own groundbreaking film projects, have come together for a unique film event in Pelham. The organizations, Epidemic Answers and Our Kids First Foundation will be sharing a message of hope and healing through their films, “Sister” and “Canary Kids.” The event will also feature the unveiling of an expanded name and mission for the Canary Kids Project.

The fund-raising event, titled, “Films To Inspire Hope”, will take place at the Pelham Picture House on Saturday, Nov 22nd at 7:00 p.m. The Picture House is located at 175 Wolfs Lane in Pelham, New York. As part of the evening’s events, The Canary Kids Project will premiere its new name, The Documenting Hope Project, to reflect the project’s expanded goals and objectives.

The event will begin with cocktails and conversation, followed by a preview of The Documenting Hope documentary, “Canary Kids” and a screening of the independent feature film “Sister.” The movies will start at 8 p.m.

“Sister”, written and produced by David Lascher and Todd Camhe, premiered at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival in the Spotlight Section on Friday, April 25, 2014 in New York City. Starring Reid Scott, Barbara Hershey, Grace Kaufman, Nadine Velazquez, Serinda Swan, John Heard and Illeana Douglas, the film follows one family’s moral and social journey in dealing with an 11-year-old’s diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) including medication, family, education and social perception.

The evening’s second film project, originally called The Canary Kids Project, has a special connection to the Westchester area. Started in 2012, the project’s fundraising has most recently been led by a group of moms from Rye, some of whose children have been diagnosed with a range of “childhood epidemic” illnesses.

“It was important to us to introduce our new name to this community because our local volunteers have been with us since the beginning,“ says author and children’s health advocate, Beth Lambert who founded the organization. “We wanted them to understand why we changed the name. In its earliest stages of development, the project was called The Canary Kids Project because we saw these children as the ‘canaries in the coal mine’ foreshadowing the health hazards from our toxic environment,” says Lambert. “While the image is a powerful one, the name created confusion with a number of other groups using the canary analogy and it does not fully capture the broader goals of our project.”

The Documenting Hope Project will support fourteen children with seemingly intractable conditions (such as autism, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis) as they explore healing opportunities that are often overlooked by conventional medicine. There is a vast body of anecdotal evidence indicating that individuals with chronic conditions can fully recover. The project aims to test and document a results-oriented model that looks at the root causes, rather than the symptoms, of chronic illness.

Tickets for the Nov. 22 fundraiser are still available by going to http://www.canarykidsmovie.com/events/sister-screening/

About Epidemic Answers and The Documenting Hope Project

Epidemic Answers is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to helping parents find healing solutions for their chronically ill children. Through the Documenting Hope Project, Epidemic Answers will be able to bring healing and recovery stories currently in the realm of anecdote into the realm of scientific observation and documentation. It is hoped that the documentation of each child’s healing process through film and the capture of clinical data will enhance our understanding of chronic illness in children. Funds to support this comprehensive effort are currently being raised.

For more information see: www.documentinghope.com

About Our Kids First Foundation

Our Kids First Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness and stimulating conversation about the issues and challenges of childhood including Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD and other related conditions.

For more information see: www.ourkidsfirstfoundation.org

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