Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Life

Dr. Daniel Mirda is raising awareness of leukemia

Dr. Daniel Mirda chatted about being the inspiration for the film “Centurion: The Dancing Stallion.”

Dr. Daniel Mirda
Dr. Daniel Mirda. Photo Courtesy of Daniel Mirda
Dr. Daniel Mirda. Photo Courtesy of Daniel Mirda

Dr. Daniel Mirda chatted about being the inspiration for the film “Centurion: The Dancing Stallion,” and raising awareness on Acute promyelocytic leukemia.

He also discussed about collaborating with filmmaker and producer Nancy White Gamble and ensuring that the medical elements (Acute promyelocytic leukemia ) depicted in the film were represented accurately.

‘Centurion: The Dancing Stallion’

The movie was directed by Dana Gonzales with a screenplay by Boon Collins.

The synopsis is: Ellissia Hall (played by Amber Midthunder) is a college student takes part in a Mexican horse riding competition to temporarily escape her problems. Soon, she discovered that her health conditions are to hinder her from pursuing her passion.

How does it feel to know your work as a medical physician helped inspire the screenplay for “Centurion: The Dancing Stallion”?   

It is amazing! It is very rewarding to work hard for our patients and then to have someone like Nancy Gamble equally work so hard to have her story told and documented for others to see.

It is awe-inspiring to work with script writers and the director to produce a realistic movie about a serious topic that has an uplifting conclusion. It is humbling to see the movie on a big screen, and to have my acknowledgements in the credits with such talented actors, directors and others. 

What did you love most about the film? (Why recommend it to anyone)?

The story parallels the real life experience of Nancy’s Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) journey.  This kind of information, in an entertaining format like this movie, can inform the general public about this illness—and especially the Hispanic community can be more directly informed as this is somewhat more prevalent in this population; however, the information is important for all.

Also, the scenery and cinematography was amazing and especially beautiful. 

What was it like to work with filmmaker and producer Nancy White Gamble in regard to making sure the medical elements of the film were represented accurately?

Nancy was very dedicated and engaged in this production. I definitely felt her enthusiasm for the project and her strong desire to “get it right!” She was very accepting of my suggestions, clearly a collaboration between doctor and patient, as it was throughout her illness.

This movie raises awareness about APL leukemia (in addition to dealing with the Mexican culture of dancing horses)… Why is this so important?

In particular, a Mexican audience can relate to the culture of Mexican dancing horses while they watch this young girl come down with the symptoms of APL. They can witness the symptoms of this illness and the potential for a cure.

What are the key symptoms of APL that people should recognize?

Early in the illness they are subtle and include weakness, fever, sore throat, cough, and later bruising, nose bleeding,  and gum bleeding, as you see in the movie.

What motivates you each day as a physician?

Every day, I get to interact with courageous people who come to me for help. It is especially rewarding to apply my many years of dedicated studying and training to relieve their anxiety and provide a treatment program that can work.

I work with a team that helps me provide this care, and it is fantastic when it works and we are all successful. Seeing patients many years later, like Nancy Gamble, is like experiencing a graduation and seeing that person live a normal and productive life.

How does it feel to be a physician in the digital age? (Now with streaming and technology and social media being so prevalent)

There are many benefits of the digital age in terms of information. I find it very stimulating, and it is amazing the amount of information that I have access to just from my phone. But it is also challenging to keep current with the rapidity of the advances. 

What does the word success mean to you?

Presently, the advances in cancer detection and therapy have been amazing and continue to advance rapidly. So, applying this knowledge and my training to help others and give them hope is what success means to me. I appreciate the heartfelt gratitude of my patients, yet what I want to do is my very best to help others in every situation.

Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about APL ?

It is important for your readers to follow healthy life activities that can help prevent this and many other illnesses. I recommend all my patients stay active and exercise, eat healthy, and get plenty of rejuvenating sleep.

It is important to have a supportive family and friends as part of a healthy social network, which is very common and admirable in the Hispanic community.

Review: ‘Centurion: The Dancing Stallion,’ starring Amber Midthunder, is a heartwarming film

Amber Midthunder in 'Centurion: The Dancing Stallion'
Amber Midthunder in ‘Centurion: The Dancing Stallion.’ Photo Courtesy of Lionsgate
Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 20,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

You may also like:

World

Calling for urgent action is the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

Business

The cathedral is on track to reopen on December 8 - Copyright AFP Ludovic MARINParis’s Notre-Dame Cathedral, ravaged by fire in 2019, is on...

Business

Saudi Aramco President & CEO Amin Nasser speaks during the CERAWeek oil summit in Houston, Texas - Copyright AFP Mark FelixPointing to the still...

Business

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal infers that some workers might be falling out of the job market altogether.