A short film by Heather Andelsman

Screening at Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF)

Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at 7:15 p.m. 

at the Savor Cinema, 503 SE 6th Street, Ft. Lauderdale

To purchase tickets: click here

In the summer of 2016, Heather Andelsman had just completed her freshman year of college when she was diagnosed with leukemia. Instead of returning to school that fall, she spent months receiving chemotherapy, and living in isolation to protect a compromised immune system. She was declared cancer-free, but a year after that, relapsed, and had to do it all over again. This time, she needed a stem cell transplant.

After her transplant and recovery, Heather realized her life would never simply go back to what it was – everything had changed, and she was on a difficult journey to discover her new life.

When she began meeting other young cancer survivors, she realized they all share this challenge: returning to life after treatment.

Heather’s short film, Great White Lies, explores that challenge as it tells the story of Sofia, a teenage cancer survivor, who attends her best friend's birthday party for the first time after finishing cancer treatment.

Heather became interested in Gift of Life after reading about founder Jay Feinberg's story and his commitment to adding diversity to the registry. While it took Jay over four years to find a match in the 1990s due to his Jewish heritage, Heather was fortunate enough to have over 900 matches in the registry when she needed a Jewish donor in 2017. Thanks to the work of organizations like Gift of Life, Heather had a second chance at life. 

Great White Lies will be screened across the country with Gift of Life to add more donors to the registry. The World Premiere of Great White Lies will be in July at the LA Shorts International Film Festival, where you can join the registry and potentially save a life. 

Please visit greatwhiteliesfilm.com for more information about upcoming screenings and tickets. 

How you can help

You can help build the impact of Great White Lies by taking action.

Join the registry! Click on the blue "Join Registry" button to the right. 

• • Donors in general good health between 18 and 35 years old may join the registry. Donors over the age of 35 can also join, but we ask that you to please donate $60 to offset the lab fees – Click here to learn why. 
  • Eighty percent of donors requested by transplant centers are 18 to 35 years old for medical reasons – Click here to learn why Age Matters.
  • Donors can remain in the registry until their 61st birthday – Click here to learn why the registry has an Age Limit.
  • Certain medical conditions may mean you are not able to join the registry or donate – Click here to check the Conditions List. If you're not sure, a health history questionnaire is part of the registration process.
• Spread the word. Use the social media links to the right to share the story of Great White Lies in your Facebook and Twitter account. The more people who order a swab kit and join the registry, the more hope we give to those searching for a match.