Mexico City, Mexico, October 8, 2024. School of Health Sciences in conjunction with the School of Communicationboth from the Universidad Panamericanacelebrated the presentation of Fifalianaby director Lorenzo Hagermana documentary that provides an unprecedented and emotional look into the heart of a modest operating room in Africa, where volunteer doctors struggle with limited resources and patients enter knowing that this is the only hope they have for a cure.
The event was attended by Dr. Santiago García Álvarez, rector of the Mexico City campus; Dr. Stéphanie Derive, dean of the School of Health Sciences; Dr. Mariano Navarro, dean of the School of Communication and Ms. Daniela Ortiz de la Peña, deputy director of the Pan American Health System, SIPASA, of Universidad Panamericana.
Also present as special guests were filmmaker Lorenzo Hagerman and his brother, Dr. Gonzalo Hagerman, founder of the Sandra Sucreman Foundation. Sandra Sucar FoundationFoundation, who is also one of the protagonists of the documentary, and professor of Postgraduate Studies at the Faculty of Health Sciences.
Sensitivity to adversity
Dr. Santiago García said that the documentary and the stories presented are an example of sensitivity in the face of adversity. He mentioned the case of Gonzalo and his family as a testimony of personal and collective overcoming, who, after the loss of his wife, Sandra Sucar, founded the organization that bears his name.
The rector of the Mexico City campus also reflected on the role of the university in the training of professionals with a human sense, emphasizing that it is not only about training competent technicians, but also people who are concerned about social realities, and who work with a sense of service and humanity.
He stressed that the example presented in the documentary is an inspiration for the students and the community in general, and called on them to act with sensitivity and to always remember the purpose and human sense in their actions.
Giving a voice to the voiceless
This was followed by a panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Derive, which reflected on the documentary previously shown.
Director Lorenzo Hagerman shared details about the creative process behind Fifaliana, emphasizing the challenges he faced in completing the production. "Filmmaking is easy, the hard part is finishing it. This film faced multiple challenges, including a pandemic that delayed plans to travel to Africa. We thought it would be temporary, but it forced us to rethink many logistical decisions," he explained.
Despite the obstacles, Hagerman stressed that the most important thing is the impact the film has on the audience. "The most valuable thing is when it reaches the audience, when you see the room full and you know that the stories you tell remain in the minds and hearts of those who see them," he added.
For his part, the dean of the School of Communication offered his perspective on the importance of this type of productions for communication students: "The most valuable thing about a documentary is that it has an audience, that a dialogue is established with the people who watch it. Stories are powerful because they allow us to make sense of very deep human experiences of pain and struggle.
He also emphasized how these types of narratives help to sensitize students, not only from a technical point of view, but also from an ethical one. "It is essential that future communicators learn to tell the stories that are not normally heard, that they give a voice to those who do not have one, because otherwise, those stories will be lost among the media saturation of products such as reality shows," he said.
Helping: a privilege
Afterwards, Dr. Gonzalo Hagerman addressed the audience with a profound reflection on the privilege of helping others. "It is a luxury to be able to help, to have the ability to change someone's life. In the end, one receives much more than one gives. That is true happiness, much more than any wealth or fame," he said.
He also shared that, at first, many doctors travel to Africa as volunteers out of curiosity, but after seeing the extreme vulnerability of the communities they serve, the experience becomes transformative.
Along the same lines, Daniela Ortiz de la Peña spoke about the impact of projects such as Fifaliana on the training of students at the School of Health Sciences: "This type of production helps them to understand realities very different from their own, to confront vulnerable populations and to develop an ethical and social sensitivity".
"When medical, nursing and psychology students are in contact with these communities, they understand the importance of fighting for equitable and fair health care," he explained. He also emphasized how these experiences, both in the documentary and in clinical practice, prepare students for professional life by putting them in situations where they must make quick decisions and resolve conflicts under adverse conditions.
Sandra Sucar Foundation Scholarships
At the end of the event, it was announced the launching of a fundraising campaign that seeks to provide scholarships to one or more students of the Faculty of Health Sciences, so that they have the opportunity to be part of the Medical Humanitarian Missions in Madagascar and Mozambique through the Sandra Sucar Foundation.
Therefore, a call was made to the university community and the general public to support this cause with their donations. Are you interested in donating? You can write to vroarof@up.edu.mx for more information.
Projects such as those carried out by the Sandra Sucar Foundation highlight the importance of collaboration and social commitment in initiatives that seek to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people.
About Fifaliana
Fifaliana shows the story of Zaevo, a young woman who at her first birth was on the verge of death, lost her baby and her husband disappeared. She is now 16 years old and suffers from obstetric fistula. A glimmer of hope emerges when Spanish and Latin American doctors travel to southern Madagascar.
This is a story that shows how, with few resources, the fate of more than two million women rejected by society can be changed.
You can watch this documentary here.
About the Faculty of Health Sciences
Founded in 1996, the School of Health Sciences at Universidad Panamericana is composed of the Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Psychology. Its objective is to train highly prepared health professionals, with a specialized focus on research and social work.
Learn more about the Pan American School of Health Sciences at: https://www.up.edu.mx/educacion-universidad-facultad-de-ciencias-de-la-salud/
