Photo: Greg O’Brien and director Steve Ecclesine
Prolific producer Steve Ecclesine’s directorial debut, Have You Heard About Greg? A Journey Of Faith, Hope And Humor is a landmark documentary profiling career journalist Greg O’Brien as he battles early on-set Alzheimer’s. Having completed principal photography after three years in production, Have You Heard About Greg? will preview at the Alzheimer’s Family Support Center of Cape Cod (AFSC) first Virtual Alzheimer’s Day of Culture on Saturday, October 16 in Provincetown, MA, but donors can watch from anywhere by registering here.
The film’s trailer premiered October 13 at the UsAgainstAlzheimer’s 8th Annual Trish Vradenburg Gala, in Washington DC. That event, attended by Dr. David Satcher (16th United States Surgeon General) the Honorable Robert Menendez (United States Senator D-NJ), Dr. Marie Bernard, Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity at the National Institutes of Health; Billy Crystal, actor/writer/director/comedian; Lisa Genova, HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT GREG? Interview subject, neurologist and author of New York Times Best Seller Remember and Still Alice; Leeza Gibbons, television host and activist; Jean Smart; and Seth and Lauren Miller Rogen; and Josh Henkin, author of Morningside Heights. The event raised more than $550,000 for US Against Alzheimer’s.
In Have You Heard About Greg?, O’Brien, a former investigative reporter, best-selling author, and public speaker takes us into his world where he has survived cancer and now, following a bicycling accident which precipitated early-onset Alzheimer’s at age 59, has fought the disease nearly to a standstill, even after undergoing major spinal surgery. The scourge of Alzheimer’s has taken out O’Brien’s family members: his father and mother, grandfather, and uncles before coming for him. Cherishing and rationing “QTR”—Quality Time Remaining—O’Brien faces his journey with authenticity, humor, hope, and a ferocious courage against this invisible enemy. The film captures a frank yet funny and heartfelt story of a disease that afflicts 60 million people worldwide and affects hundreds of millions more, yet remains poorly understood, researched, and funded.
Created by caregivers, AFSC is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides free psychosocial services such as consultations, referrals, care planning, education, support groups and cultural programming. The Virtual Alzheimer’s Day of Culture is an all-day event for charity featuring a Q&A with Cape Cod resident and author Lisa Genova; a performance from the Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra Cape Cod, led by Music Director Matt Scinto who has worked closely with AFSC leading music appreciation and conducting classes; and a special donors’ screening of Have You Heard About Greg?. The screening will be followed by a live panel with O’Brien, Ecclesine and presented with a variety of live and recorded entertainment. The Day of Culture is in lieu of the annual Walk for Alzheimer’s fundraising benefit due to COVID-19 concerns for the vulnerable population of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia-related illnesses. Register to attend the benefit day and screen the film here; donations are gratefully accepted to help fund free services for affected families and individuals in the region.
Inspired by O’Brien’s best-selling and award-winning book, On Pluto: Inside the Mind of Alzheimer’s, Have You Heard About Greg? puts a human face on the terrifying disease of Alzheimer’s and will be a must-see at upcoming 2021/2022 film festivals and in theaters February 2022.
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