New Film Documents Heart Felt Stories of People Living with High LDL Cholesterol
Sanofi and Regeneron Engage Academy Award® Winning Documentarian to Capture Behind-the-Scenes Look at Life with an Invisible Condition
BRIDGEWATER, N.J. and TARRYTOWN, N.Y., June 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Managing cholesterol is a private, emotional fight against a condition that cannot be seen or felt.1 Now, a new film highlights individuals around the world who are connected by one common goal: speaking up to help take down cholesterol. Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. engaged Academy Award® winning documentarian Cynthia Wade to direct Heart Felt, a film that encourages conversations between patients and their healthcare providers about high LDL cholesterol (LDL-C, or bad cholesterol). Starting today, you can watch Heart Felt on www.TakeDownCholesterol.com.
"I have always been creatively inspired by the power of human emotions, and directing this film allowed me to reveal the very real, personal stories behind the fight against high bad cholesterol," says Wade. "Cholesterol is one of those words that comes up in health conversations, but how many people really understand why it matters? I wanted to help others see what living with high bad cholesterol really means for patients and the healthcare providers, family and friends who may be caring for them."
The film chronicles 19 real-life stories of managing high LDL-C (bad cholesterol) from the perspectives of patients, caregivers and healthcare providers from three different continents, five countries, and nine cities.
Eddie Sarfaty, who was diagnosed with high bad cholesterol, is among the patients who share their stories in the film. His family has a history of high cholesterol, and his own diagnosis triggered emotional memories of his mother's experience, which included a heart attack.
"When the doctor first told me what my cholesterol was, I immediately thought back to when my mom was in the hospital 25 years ago," Sarfaty says. "My mother's a strong woman and she usually takes everything in stride, but there was terror on her face when she was being wheeled into surgery to have a triple bypass. I remember thinking she could be gone in an hour. Fortunately, she was fine. But, my diagnosis made me worry that I might not be so lucky."
Despite the availability of current therapies, approximately 11 million Americans still face great challenges in achieving their optimal LDL-C level.2
"High bad cholesterol is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke, the leading cause of death in the U.S.,"3 says Richard Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, and the 17th Surgeon General of the United States, who is featured in the film. "Despite its seriousness, LDL cholesterol is not as easily understood by the public as diabetes and hypertension, which can also cause cardiovascular disease. Elevated LDL cholesterol requires prevention strategies and a treatment plan."
Visit TakeDownCholesterol.com to watch Heart Felt and:
- Learn more about types of cholesterol, causes and effects of high bad cholesterol, and how to manage it
- Find links to resources from health organizations
- Sign up for My Plan, a personalized program that provides articles, videos and tools to help individuals set goals and take steps toward better health
About Sanofi
Sanofi, an integrated global healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi has core strengths in the field of healthcare with seven growth platforms: diabetes solutions, human vaccines, innovative drugs, consumer healthcare, emerging markets, animal health and the new Genzyme. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).
About Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Regeneron (NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading science-based biopharmaceutical company based in Tarrytown, New York that discovers, invents, develops, manufactures, and commercializes medicines for the treatment of serious medical conditions. Regeneron commercializes medicines for eye diseases, and a rare inflammatory condition and has product candidates in development in other areas of high unmet medical need, including hypercholesterolemia, oncology, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis. For additional information about the company, please visit www.regeneron.com.
Sanofi Media Contact:
Carrie Brown
Tel: 908-981-6486
[email protected]
Regeneron Media Contact:
Arleen Goldenberg
Tel: 914-260-8788
[email protected]
| _____________________ |
| 1Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Cholesterol". March 2015. http://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/. Accessed June 2015. |
| 2Estimate based on MarketScan LabRX data, American Heart Association statistics, and Sanofi and Regeneron estimates. |
| 3American Heart Association. "Prevention and Treatment of High Cholesterol." April 2014. |
| http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/PreventionTreatmentofHighCholesterol/Prevention-and-Treatment-of-High-Cholesterol_UCM_001215_Article.jsp. Accessed June 2015. |
US.ALI.15.06.026
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SOURCE Sanofi
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