Baltic PR Awards 2012 Category: PUBLIC AFFAIRS Organization: Komunikāciju Aģentūra/ Edelman Affiliate Client: Association of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Patients Country: Latvia Project name: The city fountains in blood: NO to the waste of life

1. Category: PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Komunikāciju Aģentūra/ Edelman Affiliate (Latvia)
The city fountains in blood: NO to the waste of life
Association of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Patients
Summary
What would you do in a situation where all your family's savings are not enough to save your, or a close
relative’s life?
The government budget for the health care support is constantly being reduced and state authorities only
theoretically understand patients’ problems. Every year the Leukaemia and Lymphoma Patients’ Union
organises Leukaemia and Lymphoma Day to give very necessary support to the patients to prevent cuts in
government funding for the treatment of these rare diseases. The campaign activities were divided into
two parts: fist to draw public attention; second – to increase government support.
The water of two fountains in the city centre was coloured red as a protest of the waste of human lives
and a symbol of the blood cancer, which takes over the human body. Also, an exposition of eye-portraits
of real patients with a simple call: “Look into our eyes; this might be the last time!” was prepared.
The campaign drew huge attention from the public and media. As a result the government decided not
only NOT TO REDUCE the funding, but also eight more patients received funding for treatment.
Situation
The government budget for the health care support is constantly being reduced, and so is government
funding for the treatment of rare diseases. State authorities only theoretically understand patients’
problems; in reality they turn a blind eye to patients’ pleas for healthcare support.
This leads to the loss of lives in a very short time. The average citizen is not able to cover the treatment
expenses of this disease, as the necessary medicine costs over 1000 LVL a month. Meanwhile, with
appropriate treatment, the patient remains a functional member of society.
Objectives
In 2011 the goals for the event were rather complicated:
• to prevent cuts in government funding for the treatment of leukaemia and lymphoma;
• to draw public attention to the problem and gain support in the battle for life, for state funded
medicine.
Strategy
The aim of the campaign was to choose communication activities, which would draw public attention,
while not being too threatening. The exaggeration of this matter might lead to an opposite reaction – loss
support from authorities.
The campaign activities were divided into two parts: fist, to draw public attention; second – to gain
government support.
Execution
On September 30, 2011 as a protest of the waste of human lives and as a symbol of the blood cancer
which takes over the human body, the water of two fountains in the city centre near a lively traffic
junction and the Esplanade park was coloured red. This was the also the location of the media event.
Baltic PR Awards 2012

2. Category: PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Of course it drew attention, but how to gain public support? Near the fountain an exposition of eye-
portraits of real patients was set up with a simple call: “Look into our eyes, this might be the last time!”
The people passing by could write supporting messages on the portrait cards and address them to
authorities.
The exposition was also exhibited for one week at the Central Train Station and photo banners with the
eye-portraits were displayed in front of the windows of the Ministry of Health and near the Cabinet of
Ministers.
Documented Results
• ~ 400 informative cards were passed out to the public; ~ 300 cards sent to the employees of state
institutions, addressed individually; the portrait series was seen by ~ 600 spectators and the red
fountains were noticed by a great number of people.
• The blood-coloured fountains were shown on more than 60 of Latvia’s television programmes and
described in all notable press media and internet portals.
• Not only the was the previous amount of the government funding kept, but additional funding
was given for the treatment of eight more people with the most expensive medicines on the list
of reimbursable medications (before the campaign, 54 patients received the medication).
Baltic PR Awards 2012