How UC Davis Health Used Documentary Storytelling to Bring a Rare Disease Journey to Life
Dino Kong and Emily Kuo did not come to California to see the sights.
Pamela Wu, director of news and media relations, UC Davis
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.”
Continue reading and watch this award-winning documentary to see how long-form video tells stories that keep viewers engaged from beginning to end: Digital Showcase: UC Davis Health’s “John John’s Journey”
Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President