HOULTON, Maine — Debbie Johnson has never met Makenna Ward or her family.
The 6-year-old Houlton girl was diagnosed with neuroblastoma — a form of cancer that occurs in infants and young children and accounts for about 6 percent of all cancers in children — in March, 2009.
Makenna died in December.
Johnson, a best-selling author, released her first movie “Soul Survivors: Angels-in-Training” on Valentine’s Day.
The movie will be shown in Houlton at the Temple Theater in Market Square Monday, March 31 at 7 p.m.; Wednesday, April 2 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, April 5, matinee at 3 p.m. and Sunday, April 6, matinee at 3 p.m. and a percentage of the ticket sales will be donated to the “Miracle Mile: McKenna and Maggie’s Race” for research for curing neuroblastoma and diamond blackfan anemia.
“We thought the Houlton area would appreciate and want to see a film that mainstream movies don’t often focus on,” said Mike Hurley, owner of Temple Theater.
Johnson has made the decision that wherever the film is shown, she will find a charity to support.
“I look for causes where a person connects with angels,” explained Johnson. “Whether it is someone being an angel and helping others or becoming an angel. Makenna sounded like she wanted to help her friends who had the same problem she did, which is Maggie.”
“I received a call from Fred Grant, owner of WHOU-FM, and he had given Debbie my contact information,” said Kirk Ward, Makenna’s dad and volunteer/organizer for the Miracle Mile, along with several coworkers at County Physical Therapy in Houlton.
After connecting, Ward discovered Johnson would donate five percent of the ticket sales to the Miracle Mile fund.
“It was hard to decline the offer,” said Ward. “I shared our story of the Miracle Mile and Makenna and Maggie’s journey. Debra seemed quite drawn by the opportunity to share with our charity. My wife and I are quite thrilled – from the beginning our objective was to expose and make aware the travesty of cancer, and diamond blackfan anemia. To do our part, is to assist on finding a cure.”
Though Johnson will not make the trip to the Shiretown, her heart is with her film.
“The movie is about love,” she said. “I like to help local charities because it is giving something back to a community. The whole idea of this movie is almost anyone around you could be an angel.
“We know Makenna is an angel now,” she added.
The movie’s central theme is about relationships, specifically couples, with other relational aspects as underlying topics in the film.
“There are flashbacks in the movie that show different relationships people have had and how the six main characters’ (three couples’) past has affected their romantic relationship,” Johnson explained. “It gives people compassion for each other. Hopefully, this film will help them look at their mate differently when they see it or that the film helps in other relationships — family, friend or even pet — or whoever they have the closest relationship to.”
The movie, filmed in Victoria, Minn., takes viewers inside three couples’ relationships to see how they are helped in secret by angels-in-training, Jack and Tanya. Lexie is so mad at Bryan (Rob Ivy) for his seeming affection for other women that she nearly ruins their relationship. Tory (recording star, Timotha Lanae) has to learn to let go and follow her dreams to find out what love is really about and have any hope of a happy future with men. And, we get to see how Jack and Tanya become angels because they need to learn so much about relationships themselves.
“Soul Survivors: Angels-in-Training” can be compared to other movies such as “Fireproof” and “Courageous” to the ever-popular television series “Touched by an Angel.”
The Miracle Mile: MaKenna and Maggie’s Race will be held again this year during Houlton’s Midnight Madness.
“We are planning on several more folks attending this year, so with that, we are adjusting the race venue,” said Ward. “We will have more information, in the coming months.”
People can continue to visit and like the Facebook page, “Miracle Mile: Makenna and Maggie’s race” for research and for more information on the film, visit www.soulsurvivorsmovies.com.
