Digital Showcase: UC Davis Health’s “John John’s Journey”
Digital Showcase highlights exceptional digital marketing and award-winning work from across the eHealthcare Leadership Awards categories.
A long-form documentary follows a family’s journey across the world in search of lifesaving treatment, while shedding light on a terminal disease and an innovative therapy that could change its course.
// By Susan Dubuque //
Dino Kong and Emily Kuo did not come to California to see the sights.
They came because their toddler son John, known to his family as “John John,” has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare genetic disorder that weakens muscles over time and shortens lives. When a clinical trial at UC Davis Health offered access to a promising gene therapy, the family decided to leave their home in Taiwan and relocate in hopes of giving their son a full and normal life.
At age 2, John was among the youngest participants in a clinical trial of Elevidys, a gene replacement therapy, designed to treat the root cause of Duchenne rather than its symptoms, with a one-time infusion.
A story like this deserves more than a 15-second short. It takes time to capture both the clinical complexity and the human emotion.
At UC Davis, Pamela Wu, director of news and media relations, and Christopher Nelson, senior video producer, produce a wide range of video assets. According to Wu, “We create very few documentaries, but when we do, we’re really serious about doing it right.”
Left to right: Pamela Wu, director of news and media relations, UC Davis; Christopher Nelson, senior video producer, UC Davis
Continue reading and watch this award-winning documentary to see how long-form video tells stories that keep viewers engaged from beginning to end.
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