Community Cinema, a free monthly screening series engaging communities through film produced by the Independent Television Service (ITVS), premieres with a free advance screening and panel discussion sponsored by KUED Public Television of the upcoming PBS Independent Lens documentary, "D TOUR," Tuesday, October 27, at 6:30 p.m. at Shriner's Hospital, 1275 Fairfax Road in Salt Lake City (corner of 11th Avenue and Virginia Street).
"D TOUR," combines a band road trip with a personal quest for an organ donor. The film follows the journey of Pat Spurgeon, a talented indie rock musician on the rise whose life becomes consumed with the care and feeding of his failing kidney. Spurgeon is an integral part of the indie pop band Rogue Wave, whose three critically acclaimed albums and performances worldwide have earned them a growing fan base. As the film begins, Spurgeon is embarking on tour, an exhausting prospect even for healthy musicians, but almost impossible for someone coping with dialysis, dietary restrictions and the search for a living donor match. While his choice to keep touring and working towards the band's goals is put to the test, Spurgeon continues to deal with his challenges in a straightforward and matter-of-fact way.
"D TOUR" also addresses issues within the U.S. healthcare system, including the lack of affordable insurance, the importance of organ donation and much more. The film features live performances from Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie), Nada Surf, John Vanderslice, The Moore Brothers and, of course, Rogue Wave. Filled with unexpected twists and the joys and sorrows of life, "D TOUR," directed by Jim Granato, premieres on the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Independent Lens on KUED-Channel 7 Tuesday, November 10, at 11p.m.
Following the showing of the film, a panel discussion will be moderated by Alex McDonald, director of Public Education for Intermountain Donor Services. Panel members include Eddie Bridges, kidney recipient; Amy Flynn, organ recovery coordinator; Erika Ward, "good samaritan" living kidney donor and Pam Grant, social worker who will talk about the dialysis process.
"Currently, there are more than 100,000 people waiting for organ donations, 65,000 of which are waiting for kidneys," McDonald said. "This list could be wiped out if live organ donors would step forward and donate a kidney."
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D Tour's Pat Spurgeon Download |
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