Only 11 public broadcasting stations nationally received grant
Public television station KNME-TV (Albuquerque/Santa Fe) was selected one of only 11 public broadcasting stations nationwide to receive a $10,000 grant from the Independent Television Service Community Engagement Campaign and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The grant was awarded to public television stations able to deliver effective community outreach with local partners around “A Lion in the House,” a mini-series on childhood cancer, airing on PBS’s Independent Lens in June 2006.
“A Lion in the House” offers an unprecedented look at the cancer journeys of five young people and their families over a six-year period. Award-winning filmmakers Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert bring audiences face-to-face with the uncertainty of the entire cancer experience and its rippling effects on family, community and professional caregivers. At the core of “A Lion in the House” are the resilience, courage and wisdom of five extraordinary young people.
“We are excited to have this opportunity to work with KNME-TV on this important project,” said Dennis Palmieri, national outreach manager, ITVS.
The national broadcast of “A Lion in the House” seeks to galvanize public attention around childhood cancer. The ITVS community engagement campaign brings a committed group of national partners and a broad array of stakeholders to spur a national dialogue, support families and caregivers and inspire local and regional action. The campaign seeks to build bridges between families in need and communities of support.
KNME’s “A Lion in the House” is also called “Un León en Casa y en el Pueblo y en el Hogan,” reflective of the many kinds of New Mexico houses – Spanish casa, Native American Pueblo and the Navajo hogan, to name a few. The project will reach out to underserved Spanish and Native American communities in New Mexico, focusing on health disparities due to language, differences in cultural context and poverty.
With the series and online resources as a catalyst, KNME and its partners will use multilingual approaches to raise awareness and promote the use of resources available to underserved New Mexico children with cancer. KNME-TV’s partners include the New Mexico Health Department, Casa Esperanza, the University of New Mexico Cancer Center and the University of New Mexico’s Center for Native American Health.
“KNME-TV is very grateful to be the recipient of this grant because it gives us a chance to expand our work with New Mexico communities and partners,” said Shirley Casados, director of programming, production and education, KNME-TV.
Contact: Evy Todd, (505) 277-1218; e-mail: etodd@unm.edu
Posted by scarr at December 13, 2005 10:55 AM