Seven Pounds

[okarol]

From my friend Ann: Just received my weekly newsletter from Donate Life Hollywood (OneLegacy), a Southern California organ awareness foundation. I've copied this week's message below which is addressed to the Ambassadors, but I thought you may want to do something similar to what Tenaya suggests:

Original Message:

Dear Donate Life Ambassadors,

Please help educate and inspire the audiences seeing the movie Seven Pounds this holiday season. The movie has a donation and transplant storyline, which is being kept a secret. We are asking that you go see the movie and bring a stack of brochures with you.

At THE END of the movie please be the first ones to exit the theater, stand just inside or just outside your theater’s doors and pass out brochures as people are leaving (do not do this before the movie starts!). If you are questioned by theater staff or management simply explain that while Columbia Pictures would not agree to pass out anything before the movie, as someone touched by donation you felt it was important that people had information about organ donation. If they ask you to stop, do so. ALWAYS pick up the brochures that people have dropped in the lobby, bathroom and parking lot.

The movie is very inspiring at the end and people will be open to the idea of being a donor after watching the film. Here are my talking points on the film:

The Donate Life message is that through organ, eye, tissue, marrow, & blood donation one individual has the power to save and enhance many lives. That is also the message of Seven Pounds.

Rosario Dawson as Emily Posa gives a face to the more than 100,000 people currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Becoming short of breath just walking across a room, going in and out of the hospital, and feeling both hopeful at the prospect of a new heart and scared that a donated heart would not be available in time were all very real examples of how difficult it is to wait for a transplant.

Will Smith’s character Ben Thomas shows that living donation is possible with a lobe of the lung, a lobe of the liver, one kidney and with bone marrow. After living donation you can lead a very healthy and active life.

Seven Pounds highlights that organ donation is a generous gift and that transplant recipients are eternally grateful for a second chance at life.

Thank you for your help!

Very sincerely,

Tenaya Wallace
Donate Life Hollywood

[peleroja]

And here all this time I thought it was going to be about a baby.  Interesting premise for a movie.

[lola]

I think this is a good idea and I have a ton of organ pins I think I'll pass out.......

[nursewratchet]

I am going to see that on Friday, after Christmas.  I had no idea it was about organ donation.  I have TONS of stuff to pass out.  Thanks Okarol.  Great Idea.

[Jess21]

I saw a commercial for it yesterday.  I can't remember what I saw in the commercial, but it made me wonder if it was about transplantation.

[aharris2]

I saw a commercial for it yesterday.  I can't remember what I saw in the commercial, but it made me wonder if it was about transplantation.

If you noticed what I noticed, it was the hockey coach at dialysis.

[paris]

Going to see it tomorrow.   Thanks for sharing the article.

[Mimi]

I saw Will Smith on the Barbara Walters special and he was asking her not to give away the
plot.  But it never occurred to me it was about organ donation.  I will look forward to seeing it.

Love, Mimi

[nursewratchet]

We saw it, and it was great.  I stayed to watch all of the credits, and maybe I missed it, but I saw NOTHING in the credits about Organ Donation.  I thought that was a HUGE lost opportunity.  People were talking about donation in the lobby afterwards.   

[Hilrose]

Sounds like a great film...not sure when it will be showing in the UK, but I will be looking out for it.

[thegrammalady]

the review i saw on it said that while it was a good movie it left people confused. some of the 7 stories were told in great detail and others were passed over and left you wondering. my sister, niece and mother saw it before christmas. i think it was probably pretty easy to miss the point. in fact i think the point was never really organ donation therefore will smith missed it too. but that's just my    and since i haven't seen the movie and probably won't till it's out on dvd i can't really say. it's just an empression i've gotton from things i've heard.

[Hilrose]

Funny thing happened to today, I went to the diaiysis for my Wed cleanse, and while waiting in the waiting area... the advert came on about Seven Pounds, showing on the 16th Jan 2009 in the UK.... how about that!

[paris]

We saw it this afternoon and loved it.  My husband was a little slower to catch the details but I was waiting for any and all clues.  Will Smith was amazing.  My husband thought it was going to be a guys movie and I didn't tell him anything before we saw it.  He said he was really glad he saw it and is going to tell everyone he knows to see it and maybe it will help others understand more about donation.  The last 20 minutes tied up all the stories and gave you great insight to Will's character.  It might not be for everyone; it is sad.   I do wish Donate Life could have been mentioned during the credits. 

[donnia]

My husband came home last night and told me that he had found out what the movie was about. He is taking me to see it this weekend.

I will be outside handing out pamplets!

[Lucinda]

I thought it was a terrific movie.  Sad, but very, very good.  There were a lot of people in the cinema who had donation awareness t-shirts on so I thought that was pretty cool.

[G-Ma]

We saw it too, very sad but I enjoy Will Smith's movies.