Feb 5, 2021 11:38:15 AM
There are some things we're not always too keen to talk about. But one topic that's especially tricky is end-of-life care.
Which is why Hospice Giving Foundation turned to Sparkol Studio to help approach the subject in a different way. Today we're proud to share the story of HG Foundation CEO, Siobhan Greene and how we worked together to bring Siobhan's vision to life with animation.
But before we get into the detail, take a minute to check out the finished video 👇
Can you tell us a little about yourself and HG Foundation?
I'm the CEO for Hospice Giving Foundation. We provide leadership and direction for the long-term community health movement, ensuring exceptional end-of-life (EOL) care is available to all people across Monterey and San Benito Counties.
Our services include being the primary funder for EOL services, providing extensive public education on planning and preparedness, effective communications, as well as professional continuing education. We work closely with funded agencies and partners to establish an integrated model of care which benefits individuals with terminal illness, families, caregivers, and health care professionals / organizations.
My role is to promote HG Foundation within the community, raise and manage funds for grants and elevate the reputation and impact of the Foundation throughout its service region.
How has video supported your work?
We do a lot of consumer education about end-of-life planning and preparation – not an easy topic to broach. When we entered into shutdown, we knew we needed new tools with which to present this information.
It was then in March and typically during mid-April there are national campaigns for Advance Health Care Directive preparedness. During that time we typically do many public presentations. Not having in-person available necessitated a new way of reaching people which is where video came in.
What were your goals for this animation project?
In Jan 2020 we launched a movement called HOPEGives - a local movement to shift societal attitudes about death. By deepening understanding and acceptance, HOPEGives helps individuals and families experience peace of mind through advance planning and compassionate end-of-life care.
This video is part of our tools to create more accessible ways to talk about death and dying, as well as the practical aspects of preparedness.
What made you choose Sparkol Studio as your video partner?
When we were considering this project, I asked our design/social media contractors for a few suggestions and one of them was Sparkol. I made an inquiry and the Sparkol team responded really quickly.
Within two days I had a video appointment with Jo. She seemed so upbeat about our project and gave me a solid sense of the costs which were reasonable for our budget. She also worked very well with us on our timeline and provided good examples of projects to help us visualize our task.
How did you find working with the Sparkol team?
I loved working with Jo and her team. Jo was the only person I ever dealt with directly. But the communications from her team about edits and copy were easy and so pleasant. I never felt any issue saying I preferred this over that, or if I didn’t like something suggested. They were 100% open to all comments and ideas. And in return, they offered many creative ideas to help us.
How and where has your video been used?
Primarily the videos have been shared on our website and used as introductions to public presentations (zoom style) and workshops. We are super excited to have just gotten them translated into Spanish so we can reach a broader section of our community.
What benefits have your videos delivered?
People really like them! They take a tough topic and make it easier to consider. There is a gentle cheerfulness to them that helps people not feel so overwhelmed talking about death and dying. That's really important progress.
It's always a great feeling to know the videos we've created for clients make a difference. Thank you again to Siobhan for sharing your story with us.
If like Siobhan, you've got a story to tell or a message to communicate and you're not sure how to bring it to life, we're here to help. Drop us a message to discuss your ideas.
