In order to publicize Barcelona, Spain-based Eva Giménez’s fight against DENT, a rare genetic disease that affects the kidneys, from which her son Nacho suffers, the documentary Eva’s Challenge (El Reto de Eva) was released in 2015, followed by Beyond Eva’s Challenge (Mas Alla Del Reto De Eva) in 2020. Both docs are now distributed internationally by the Miami, Florida-based independent distributor J2911 Media.
The first documentary was produced by Bakery Group and the second by Eva Giménez herself as founder of Fundación Asdent, a foundation created to raise funds and awareness for DENT. Giménez is a former commercial director at Retevision, a Spanish Telco company.
The second doc, in particular, has been very well received, winning 17 awards at a variety of festivals. However, Giménez’s objective has not been to win prizes, but to spread her message about the disease and the work that her foundation is doing.
Ten years ago, Giménez started Foundation Asdent to finance medical research that would hopefully find a cure for the disease. In addition, the foundation seeks to raise awareness about the disease and raise funds to pay for the research.
Today, Foundation Asdent is financing three research projects, two in Barcelona and another in the Canary Islands, with a total cost of 1.5 million euro (U.S. $1.83 million) over three years. To attract partners to financially support the investigation, the organization plans events and sells products. But donations have plummeted since COVID-19 came onto the scene, causing the project to be in serious danger of being stopped.
To get the attention of the media, Giménez has taken to participating in extreme sporting events, despite suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. Leaving her three children with her husband, she has participated in the Titan Desert, a bicycle race through the Sahara Desert, and run through the Atacama Desert in Chile.
Giménez is not alone in this adventure. Support has been shown from Santi Millán, actor and presenter of the television program Got Talent Spain; Perico Delgado, a professional cyclist who won a Tour de France; and Oscar-winning actor Javier Bardem, who recently joined the cause (pictured above with Giménez).
The motto of the documentary projects perfectly sum up the spirit of Giménez’s struggle, “Deny the impossible and embrace the extraordinary.”
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