Partners of the Heart
Against the backdrop of segregation, Vivien Thomas, a black carpenter's apprentice with a genius for surgery, and Dr. Alfred Blalock, a renowned white surgeon, dared to defy medical gospel by forging a partnership that changed the course of medical history. The two men's work together led...
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Against the backdrop of segregation, Vivien Thomas, a black carpenter's apprentice with a genius for surgery, and Dr. Alfred Blalock, a renowned white surgeon, dared to defy medical gospel by forging a partnership that changed the course of medical history. The two men's work together led to one of the century's major breakthroughs - a daring heart operation that saved thousands of children afflicted with a congenital heart defect called "Blue Baby Syndrome." With only a high school degree, Thomas became a cardiac pioneer and a teacher to two generations of America's premiere heart surgeons at a time when he himself could not become one. His journey is a compelling, often overlooked American story of personal triumph over the strictures of his time.
Narrated by Morgan Freeman, "Partners of the Heart" was funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and was broadcast on PBS' American Experience.
The documentary inspired the HBO Emmy award-winning feature, "Like Something the Lord Made"
Release Date: February, 2003
Official Movie Website at www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex
Narrated by Morgan Freeman, "Partners of the Heart" was funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and was broadcast on PBS' American Experience.
The documentary inspired the HBO Emmy award-winning feature, "Like Something the Lord Made"
Release Date: February, 2003
Official Movie Website at www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex
Spark Media created an educational outreach campaign designed primarily to motivate and inspire minority and disadvantaged youth interested in science and medicine.
A direct result of the campaign was the establishment of the CBCF Vivien Thomas Scholarship for Medical Science and Research, a $500,000 scholarship for African American high school graduates or college students interested in pursuing careers in health, medicine or biomedical research. GlaxoSmithKline partnered with the Congressional Black Caucus Spouses and the CBC Foundation to create the scholarship.
Spark Media also arranged screenings for educational communities; the screenings were usually followed by a Q&A session to give students a forum for interaction and discussion. Screenings with high school students were held in Washington DC (funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation), Baltimore, Los Angeles, Detroit and Seattle. Another successful outreach strategy teamed up public programs in health and entertainment. GSK sponsored free health screenings around the country, focusing primarily on diseases that affect African Americans disproportionately, such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, HIV/AIDS and benign prostatic hyperplasia. The public health screenings were always accompanied with a screening of Partners of the Heart. Another unique initiative involved organizing prominent physicians and community leaders to serve as "ambassadors" for the GSK Healthy Communities events, taking a role in mentoring in high schools, organizing health screenings, and promoting the scholarship program. Ambassador programs took place in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
As collateral material for the outreach campaign, Spark produced a CD of an interactive surgery game, You Be The Surgeon, where students can attempt to perform the blue baby operation, a promotional release of the Partners of the Heart film score, an educational viewer's guide, which delves deeper into several of the film's themes, as well as provides examples of contemporary inspirational stories and a re-edited 45-minute version of Partners of the Heart, making the film more accessible for high schools that wish to screen the program during class.
A direct result of the campaign was the establishment of the CBCF Vivien Thomas Scholarship for Medical Science and Research, a $500,000 scholarship for African American high school graduates or college students interested in pursuing careers in health, medicine or biomedical research. GlaxoSmithKline partnered with the Congressional Black Caucus Spouses and the CBC Foundation to create the scholarship.
Spark Media also arranged screenings for educational communities; the screenings were usually followed by a Q&A session to give students a forum for interaction and discussion. Screenings with high school students were held in Washington DC (funded by the Annie E. Casey Foundation), Baltimore, Los Angeles, Detroit and Seattle. Another successful outreach strategy teamed up public programs in health and entertainment. GSK sponsored free health screenings around the country, focusing primarily on diseases that affect African Americans disproportionately, such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, HIV/AIDS and benign prostatic hyperplasia. The public health screenings were always accompanied with a screening of Partners of the Heart. Another unique initiative involved organizing prominent physicians and community leaders to serve as "ambassadors" for the GSK Healthy Communities events, taking a role in mentoring in high schools, organizing health screenings, and promoting the scholarship program. Ambassador programs took place in Atlanta, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
As collateral material for the outreach campaign, Spark produced a CD of an interactive surgery game, You Be The Surgeon, where students can attempt to perform the blue baby operation, a promotional release of the Partners of the Heart film score, an educational viewer's guide, which delves deeper into several of the film's themes, as well as provides examples of contemporary inspirational stories and a re-edited 45-minute version of Partners of the Heart, making the film more accessible for high schools that wish to screen the program during class.
Create Awareness - Host a screening of "Partners of the Heart" in your city and invite youth and adults who can be inspired to pursue careers in medicine and science.
Donate - Buy a DVD of "Partners of the Heart" for your local library or community center. Download the educational booklet to foster discussion.
Scholarship - Spread the word about the CBCF Vivien Thomas Scholarship for Medical Science and Medicine to your school and community centers.
Make Yourself Heard - Sign the petition to modify the name of the groundbreaking heart operation from the Blalock-Taussig Shunt to the Blalock-Taussig-Thomas Shunt.
Donate - Buy a DVD of "Partners of the Heart" for your local library or community center. Download the educational booklet to foster discussion.
Scholarship - Spread the word about the CBCF Vivien Thomas Scholarship for Medical Science and Medicine to your school and community centers.
Make Yourself Heard - Sign the petition to modify the name of the groundbreaking heart operation from the Blalock-Taussig Shunt to the Blalock-Taussig-Thomas Shunt.
Narrator: Morgan Freeman
Voice of Vivien Thomas: Courtney B. Vance
Director and Producer: Andrea Kalin
Writers Andrea Kalin and Lou Potter
Editors: Susan Fanshel and Barbara Burst
Director of Photography: John Rhode
Original Score: Joseph Vitarelli
Director of Recreations: Bill Duke
Voice of Vivien Thomas: Courtney B. Vance
Director and Producer: Andrea Kalin
Writers Andrea Kalin and Lou Potter
Editors: Susan Fanshel and Barbara Burst
Director of Photography: John Rhode
Original Score: Joseph Vitarelli
Director of Recreations: Bill Duke
Erik Barnouw Award for Best History Documentary
Gold Special Jury Award, Houston International Film Festival
CINE Award
Chris Award
Telly Award
Gold Special Jury Award, Houston International Film Festival
CINE Award
Chris Award
Telly Award