“There was a whole new world out there. If I was going to find out about that world, I was going to have to find out about it myself. No one was going to do it for me.” – Heather Garden
Inspired by her story, people ask for specific information, “What did Heather do?’ Ten years of research, travel, a hundred hours of tape, “research experiments,” and receiving treatments from ‘Heathers healers’ are embedded in the subtext of “The Healing of Heather Garden”.
Heather, a sensitive and private person, submitted herself to the intrusive nature of a camera into her family life. She withstood probing questions into a painful past of suffering with this illness, as well as to my early mistakes while I grew into being a filmmaker. She had to revisit details of her traumatic experience over and over through many interviews.
Heather did this so others could feel hope. The film takes you into her world to show you what she did, not explain it. Heather has moved on to a life not centered around that illness and wants to keep it that way.
This leaves me, the Filmmaker, to carry on with another part of the film’s work, to present the subtext in a digestible and responsible manner. This aims to offer a hand up to those courageous souls searching out support for their own journey.
I discovered, over a period of years, that this “whole new world” was really just a different way of looking at things. It was a different approach. When the mind becomes open to another way, information and support emerge to the person seeking them. I’d like to take you on my journey of understanding.
“What was it that happened?” I asked Heather, “You were very, very sick, and then something changed. What was it?”
She paused a long, long time to consider. Then said, “Hope. Hope came into my life.”
“What was it that brought the hope?” I asked, struggling. It was so – nebulous.
Another long pause, then considering her answer carefully, she replied, “Kim. My friend Kim Shaw.”
Little did I know what was in store.
