I Am Breathing Needs YOU

The much-anticipated ‘Motor Neurone Disease Global Screening Day’ of I Am Breathing, a film documenting the last few months of a man’s life as he struggles to cope with the illness, is taking place on June 21^st and you can get involved.

What started out as a blog by one Neil Platt, the late subject of this picture, has snowballed into a campaign to raise awareness, on a worldwide scale, of this terrible condition. Originally, Neil, who passed away in 2009 aged just 34, started the said blog for the benefit of his baby son, Oscar. Gradually this became a one-man crusade against MND, with Neil laying the foundations for a new wave of awareness – if ever there has been a film to provide inspiration, this is it.

In their statement, directors Emma Davie and Morag McKinnon said: “We hope that Neil – a good friend and collaborator in this process – would have approved of this film. He wanted his story to get out there.” There appears to be little doubt amongst critics and audiences alike, that Neil would have been over the moon with the finished article, which would surely be reason enough to pay him the ultimate tribute and give the movie as much exposure as possible.

Which brings us back nicely to June 21^st. All over the world, from the UK to India, North and South America, countless people have volunteered to screen this inspirational tale, in theatres, schools, pubs and churches. Yet even this, especially as far as Neil’s legacy is concerned, will only be the beginning. It was his ultimate aim to rid the world of MND and you can help realise this, today, by playing your very own part by staging a screening of I Am Breathing on global screening day.

With every screening, the awareness of MND and its effects will keep on growing, thus increasing the chances that, one day, a cure will be found. Incidentally, a mere ten days after Neil’s passing, the film’s scientific consultant, Professor Chris Shaw, identified one the genes that cause this debilitating illness – a truly significant breakthrough. Over the last year alone, discoveries have been made that have widened our understanding, as well as laying the foundations for treatment. Imagine what new advances could be made if everyone were to sit down and watch!

This is a unique opportunity to help continue the work of an extremely courageous human being, which doesn’t sound too bad, does it? To find out more, and to register your interest, visit www.iambreathing.com. With the completion of the film, word has spread far and wide, but as Neil himself said, “We have yet to reach millions.”