Blogs

Celebrating National PKU Day with Activist and Filmmaker Kevin Alexander

December 3, 2013

Tuxes for Tia from Kevin Alexander on Vimeo.

 

Produced in partnership with the National PKU Alliance, this film illustrates the daily challenges of living with PKU… and why staying on the “diet for life” is so essential.

About PKU Alliance

The National PKU Alliance works to improve the lives of families and individuals associated with PKU through research, support, education and advocacy, while ultimately seeking a cure.

The NPKUA was formed in 2008 by parents, grandparents, and individuals across the country just like you.

We are the first national non-profit organization to unite adults, families, regional and statewide PKU organizations, the medical community and PKU-friendly businesses to make a difference in the lives of people with PKU.

About Kevin Alexander

Kevin Alexander is 32 years old and was diagnosed with Classical PKU at birth. Growing up in the 1980’s Kevin was told that he could relax his diet as he grew older. As a teenager, he didn’t keep a very strict diet and stopped drinking formula. As a result, he was a C average student in high-school and college. In his early twenties he started drinking formula again, and his overall health improved. Subsequently he was able to pursue a graduate degree, which he completed in 2011 with a 3.75 GPA.

He has never allowed PKU to prevent him from accomplishing his goals. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, and has over 10 years of experience in professional video production. He spent 7 years working in local TV news as a news videographer and satellite truck operator. He covered many national stories for local news including the 2003 Columbia Shuttle Disaster, numerous hurricanes, the 2007 BCS Championship Game (Geaux Tigers!), and even witnessed the catastrophic damage in New Orleans less than one week after Hurricane Katrina. He has since left the TV news business and now has his own video/digital film production company, Creative Control Films. He has traveled the world, shooting videos all across the US, Mexico, the Cayman Islands, Russia, Ireland, Finland, & Brazil.

Until 2011 Kevin did not have much contact with other PKU patients. Since the release of his short documentary “My PKU Life” on YouTube, Kevin has now connected with hundreds of PKU patients and family members around the globe. He has traveled the world using his gift of filmmaking to promote various causes, but has found the most satisfaction in building a community where PKU patients around the globe can receive the social support they desperately need.

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