Archive for Blog
SFU Students Inspired by Eva
The image of Eva Markvoort, with her signature red hair and lips ablaze and her arms clasped behind her head proudly displaying a pair of hand-painted lungs caught SFU business student, Dickson Wong’s eye while he was traveling home from school on the bus one day with a friend.
Intrigued by the photo, Dickson and his friend pulled out their iPhones to find out the story behind this lovely red-haired woman.
Painting 65 Red Roses
Hello wonderful people out there!
This post is about the 65_RedRoses painting inspired by Eva, which has found its home in the main lobby of BC Children’s Hospital!!! At the unveiling celebrations Eva’s Dad told me that when Eva was little they had to be at BC Children’s Hospital often, and to pass the time they wandered through the hallways playing Eye Spy. Her mom, who spoke on behalf of the family at the event, said that it warms their hearts to know that the painting will bring joy to the challenging times children and their families might spend at the hospital.
Eva and Cyrus’ art project leads to spike in donor registrations
I wanted to share the article about Eva and Cyrus’ art project that ran in the Vancouver Sun earlier this week. The transplant-inspired photo series that Eva and Cyrus created became the basis for the Live Life. Pass It On. campaign which, according to BC Transplant, lead to a spike in their weekly organ donor registration rate last month—from 173 to 454!
Cyrus with his illustrated photo of Eva.
CANADA VOTES!
OK CANADA – THIS IS IT – VOTE FOR HEALTH CARE AND GET OUT AND VOTE!
And if you can, take some time to make sure everyone you know does the same. Friends don’t let friends forget to vote.
Here are some handy links:
Know the Platforms. See the platforms of all 5 Canadian parties summarized at canada.com
Check out VoteSocial.ca You can find out where your poll is, and it encourages you to vote with friends.
LeadNow.ca for long term movement building.
All right Canada – see you at the polls!
BC Transplant benefit inspires guests: Live Life. Pass It On.
Guests at last night's TRF benefit screening.
Last night six of us from the Hello Cool World outreach team attended BC Transplant‘s screening of 65_RedRoses at the Ridge Theatre in Vancouver. We arrived early with our usual bag of tricks—postcards, posters, DVDs of the film—along with a carefully constructed media wall designed by HCW’s Bella Sie using our signature photo of Eva (by Cyrus McEachern) which formed our back drop for the photos below. (more…)
Join Hello Cool World tonight for a 65_RedRoses benefit screening at The Ridge
ENTER TO WIN TICKETS!
Join the Hello Cool World outreach team at the Ridge Theatre tonight (Wed, April 27) from 7pm-9pm for a special 65_RedRoses screening.
We’ll be there with our cameras taking photos paparazzi-style, interviewing guests for our blog and promoting the #4Eva Movement For Organ Donation.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Transplant Research Foundation of BC.
Full event details here.
Enter to win tickets to tonight’s screening.
Three ways to enter. Enter once or all three times!
- Join us on Facebook
- Follow us on Twitter @65_RedRoses
- RT: @65_RedRoses screening tonight: Live Life. Pass It On. #4Eva #organdonation http://bit.ly/haTUyK
Winner will be contacted by 3pm. Tickets can be claimed at the box office.
Please tell your friends.
Hope to see you there!
National Organ Donor Awareness Week launches. Eva’s legacy continues.
We are proud to announce the launch of BC Transplant’s new TV commercial, directed by Nimisha Mukerji using footage 65_RedRoses. The ad is part of Live Life. Pass it On, BC Transplant’s province-wide campaign to promote organ donor registrations.
Launching today, on the first day of Canada’s National Organ Donor Awareness Week (April 18-24), Live Life. Pass It On includes the TV ad as well as posters, transit ads and an online campaign and is an extension of the inspiring awareness that Eva Markvoort initiated and her legacy through her transplant art project.
About the art project (excerpted from the BC Transplant site)
Transplant gave Eva hope and it was this hope that kept her going until her call for transplant came in 2007. She was able to live a spirited and rich life for two years after her transplant, before succumbing to organ rejection. During those two healthy years, Eva embarked on an ‘awareness art project’ with friend, Cyrus McEachern. Cyrus’s photography talents combined with Eva’s artistic flare resulted in a stunning series of photographs highlighting local transplant recipients.
Sadly, as this amazing project was getting off the ground and Eva was realizing the power of the movement she had started, she passed away while waiting for a second double lung transplant last March.
The ‘models’
BC Transplant helped to identify willing ‘real life models’ for the project. The goal: to increase awareness for organ donation through an artistic medium. Special thanks to the local transplant recipients who agreed to model and share their transplant stories: Amanda, Darvy, Bryn, Savilla, and Maxine.
BC Transplant PSA from Hello Cool World on Vimeo.
BC Residents can watch the PSA on television during the following times:
Global TV (Cable channel 5):
weeknights after 11:30pm
weekend morning news casts 6:00am-9:00am
CTV BC (Cable channel 4):
weekdays during Canada AM 6:00am-9:00am
weekday afternoons 12:00pm-4:00pm
weekends all day 6am-6pm
CHECK TV (Cable channel 7):
weekdays 6:00am-7:00am
weekday afternoons 12:00pm- 5:00pm
weekends 6am-2:00pm
The PSA will also air on CBC and Shaw TV (including cable 119 and Shaw Multicultural).
One Year Ago…
…we lost our Eva.
Today we remember her and the incredible love she shared with the world.
Please read the article that ran in The Vancouver Sun, submitted by Martina Meckova. One Year Since
This past month, Janet Brine (Eva’s mother) was invited to speak at Share the Beat, an annual event run by James Redford in San Francisco. In the year since her passing, Eva’s parents Janet and Bill with her siblings Annie and Hunter have dedicated their time and efforts to increasing organ donor registration worldwide as well as raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis research.
Janet & Bill with James Redford
Janet sent us this message about speaking at Share the Beat earlier this month:
Share the Beat-San Francisco served to raise awareness for organ donation and the need to keep the spotlight focused by highlighting the wonderful results that transplant brings to those in need. Organ recipients who honoured their donours, donour families who spoke of the legacy of life given by their loved ones, and many great musicians who payed tribute to the cause of organ donation took to the stage at the Regency Centre on March 11.
I [Janet Brine, mother of Eva Markvoort (65_RedRoses)] spoke at Share the Beat and presented the story of the gift of life that Eva experienced. Transplant gave Eva hope and it was this hope that kept her going until her call for transplant came. She was able to live a spirited and rich life for two years after her transplant, before succumbing to organ rejection. Those two wonderful years were made possible because a family, in their grief, saw the possibility of renewing the lives of others. Ultimately, the goal is for all Canadians and Americans to be organ donors, but until that time comes, events such as Share the Beat will continue. For more photos and information about this annual event, please click here
Janet speaks about Eva at Share the Beat
Many thanks to Janet for sending us this update.
Our thoughts and love are with all of Eva’s family and friends.
We miss her every day.
Love, love, love
Nimisha & Phil
Keeping the beat alive with Dan Mangan and James Redford!
(Vancouver, BC) On Friday, February 11th, the first ever 65_RedRoses Benefit Concert was held in honour and celebration of Eva Markvoort. The event took place at Massey Theatre in New Westminster and raised over $37,000 for cystic fibrosis research. The evening was a moving experience for all, an incredible celebration of Eva’s life and her ongoing legacy of raising funds and awareness for cystic fibrosis research and organ donation, and of Vancouver’s music scene.
The concert featured four outstanding artists: David Vertesi, the Zolas, Hannah Georgas and Dan Mangan, who played to a sold out crowd of over 1,200, including family, friends and fans of both Eva and the musicians. A special short film called A Wish Where the Wind Once Blew, directed by Stuart Gillies, was created as a tribute to Eva and premiered at the event.
When informed of the funds raised, Dan was thrilled. Said Mangan, “I’m so pleased the night was such a success! Together this crew of people raised a bunch of money for CF and what’s equally important, the stack of organ donor registration cards was completely gone by the end of the night.”
Philip Lyall, Co-Director of the 65_RedRoses film, who along with Rachel Aberle (one of Eva’s bestest friends) was the MC of the event, had this to say: “It was such a thrill to host the 65_RedRoses Benefit Concert. The room was filled with such a powerful energy from cheers to tears…it was like Eva was orchestrating the event herself.”
The event was hosted by CF Canada and all of the artists donated their time. The Massey Theatre provided the venue at no charge.
Next up: Share the Beat on March 11th. Created by James Redford, the annual fundraising concert held in San Francisco benefits The American Society of Transplantation and the Redford AnimAction Project, which raises awareness for organ donation.
“We take Share the Beat on the road to a different city each year in order to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation,” states Redford. “More than 100,000 people are currently on the waiting list for a transplant, and each day, 19 people die waiting for transplants that can’t take place because of the shortage of donated organs.”
The evening will feature musical appearances from Alex Band (The Calling), whose song “Wherever You Will Go” topped Billboard magazine’s Best of the Decade Adult Top 40 Songs in 2009, as well as Grammy-nominated songwriter Greg Barnhill, whose songs have been embraced by artists including Etta James, Martina McBride, Jessica Simpson and Chicago. Up-and-coming artists Chris Pierce and Shasta Baca will also take the stage.
“I have been personally affected by our country’s dire need for organ donors,” states Alex Band. “There is so much we can do to raise awareness for this cause, and I won’t stop until the job is done. It only takes a few minutes to register to become a donor, and you can wind up saving the lives of many.”
Throughout the night, several people who have been affected by the power of transplantation will share their personal stories, including James Redford, who received a life-saving liver transplant in 1993, and Janet Brine (Eva’s mother) who will talk about Eva’s enduring legacy. Janet will open up about Eva’s life, family and experiences, including undergoing a lung transplant and her subsequent transplant rejection in the Oprah Winfrey Network Documentary Film Club selection 65_RedRoses.
To purchase tickets for this incredible event please visit: www.sharethebeat.org
Love, love,love,
Nimisha & Phil
Directors “65_RedRoses”
The Day We Met Oprah
After losing his iPhone on an Air Canada flight, Philip arrived at his destination only to discover his bags weren’t there. Jet lagged from getting back to Vancouver from Mumbai five days earlier, Nimisha boarded the cheapest flight she could find to Sundance, which meant long delays and over eight hours of travel (a direct flight to Utah takes only two hours but is double the price!). So after a very crazy day of traveling and major costs we reached our hotel room (only $400/night) and began our incredible Sundance Film Festival experience in Park City, Utah. And man, was it worth it!!!
Phil, Nimisha and OPRAH at the Rocco/OWN party at Sundance Film Festival.
We found out last year that 65_RedRoses was going to have its US television debut on the Oprah Winfrey Network(OWN). Rocco Films, the company that acquisitioned our documentary, threw an intimate party to celebrate the first installment of films to play as part of Oprah’s Documentary Club. While we were excited to be invited to the launch event, it didn’t register just how big of a celebration this would be for the filmmakers and their documentaries, until about an hour into the evening.
Firstly, we chatted with Rosie O’Donnell, who is as friendly and engaging as she is hilarious! She is incredible and totally obsessed with documentaries! When we introduced ourselves, she knew who we were because she had already screened “65_RedRoses”. She has a special connection with the film because her nephew has Cystic Fibrosis. On top of her own show, “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” which will be launching on OWN, she’ll also be hosting a post-show special after each documentary. She loved “65_RedRoses” and was really supportive of the film’s message.
Nimisha, ROSIE, and Phil at Sundance.
The night rolled on and familiar faces like Geena Davis and Forest Whitaker strolled about the room. Suddenly an announcement was made for us to gather around the small stage, where a reserved table for “65_RedRoses” was waiting for us. Before we even realized what was happening, “Mama O” entered the room and the party shifted from excitement to full on hysteria! Now we don’t normally get star-struck, but this was one of those moments where we felt like every filmmaker in the room totally let loose! We couldn’t believe that OPRAH (the queen of television) was standing just a few feet away from us. After watching her on TV for over twenty years, OPRAH was telling US how excited she was to have our film on her network. INSANE!!! We both immediately thought of Eva, how she would’ve felt to know that our little Canadian documentary had come this far. As Oprah spoke, behind her a huge big television screen displayed our poster, and the beautiful and determined face of Eva appeared, bright red hair glowing. Eva had always dared to dream big, and now everything we had worked so hard for, was actually becoming a reality. In that moment, as we stood there and celebrated the film’s success, we knew our friend Eva was with us.
When it actually came time to meet Oprah, it was a complete blur to us. We thanked her for inviting us to be involved in this exciting milestone for doc programming.
So there it is! Our photo with Oprah! We did it Eva…we did it.
We also met an amazing young man named Joey Borgogna, who works with the Creative Visions Foundation and has a project with OWN. Joey was a living donor for a girl named Brandy who had Cystic Fibrosis, and donated a lung to her.
Meeting Joey was a reminder to us of why we made this film in the first place. The film is dedicated to all the all the incredible donors out there who have given the gift of life, and the many people who are still waiting on the transplant list for a chance to live out their dreams.
Love, love, love,
Phil and Nimisha
