A Rare  Find : Newborn Screening Campaign Video

A Rare Find : Newborn Screening Campaign Video

Posted On: 08/11/2023

Pompe Support Network has supported the creation of A Rare Find, a short film featuring Robert Webb (Peep Show, That Mitchell and Webb Look) as narrator and starring Jack Robertson (Where It Ends, BBC iPlayer), and real-life mother and daughter, Chantelle and Cora Lily Taggart.

Watch "A Rare Find" here.

It is a comedy short with a difference…as it hopes to raise awareness of newborn screening and create conversation surrounding the subject Change is desperately needed (at present the UK screens for just 9 conditions, with other countries screening for many more…at present the USA screens for up to 59).

The film plays with broad strokes and has a lot of artistic license, however by the end of watching we would simply hope our target audience, the general public, would understand:

  • A little about the diagnostic odyssey.
  • What the heel prick/newborn blood spot test is.
  • That if opted out originally a child can get this up until 12 months of age (testing for all but Cystic Fibrosis).
  • The small number of conditions we screen for in the UK in contrast to other developed countries.
  • And why everyone should get behind our campaign!

This project is just the start of our campaign. To provide more expert insight and detail we are in the process of developing short interviews and a longer form documentary with charity heads, clinicians and other advocates. We have also developed an explainer animation which we are re-releasing today to give further context – watch it here.

If it’s not obvious, we're trying to hit a wide audiences to make positive progress, and with your support we're sure we can help to push this message far and wide!

Many thanks, and we hope you like the short.

A Rare Find Poster
NBS film campaign