Leonard Nimoy's Final Mission

Leonard Nimoy's Final Mission
By Julie Nimoy
Innovation develops from having inspiration, overcoming
challenges, and nurturing ingenuity. The Qualcomm
Tricorder XPRIZE exemplifies innovation. It's a $10 million
competition challenging teams from around the world to
make the Star Trek medical tricorder a reality, bringing
healthcare to the palm of your hand. As the daughter of
Leonard Nimoy, who portrayed Star Trek's Mr. Spock, I am
intimately familiar with the show's enduring ability to inspire.
The tricorder was a mobile device carried by the crew of the
Starship Enterprise and used to collect biomedical
information. Notably, the device effectively diagnosed the
vital signs of all beings--not just humans. The tricorder's
ability to read those life signs, as well as Mr. Spock's
frequent encouragement to both friend and foe to "live long
and prosper," can be viewed as fictional engagements with
the idea that illness does not discriminate and all beings
have a right to lead healthy lives. The concept of the
universality of well-being and the drive to make it a reality
are the inspiration for the Qualcomm Tricorder XPRIZE.
They are also a major motivation for my film, COPD: Highly
Illogical--A Special Tribute to Leonard Nimoy.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, literally
takes a person's breath away. It makes the simple act of
breathing, which most people take for granted, difficult and
painful. It's estimated that COPD affects close to 30 million
Americans. Sadly, over a third of these people suffer the
symptoms of the disease without ever being diagnosed.

This, as Spock would say, is "highly illogical," since early
detection and treatment can reduce suffering and save
lives. Thus, a user-friendly, mobile device that could
diagnose individuals in the absence of a physician would be
a great benefit for people with COPD.
My father died from COPD in 2015. He had been diagnosed
with the disease in 2013, but an unselfish concern for the
lives of others wouldn't allow him to convalesce. He set out
to use the influence of his personality to educate the public
about the silent killer that is COPD. He passed on before he
got to see his goal realized, but that does not mean it will
not be realized. I have taken up his resolve to help people
learn about COPD and deal with it logically.
I am excited to announce that my husband, David Knight,
and I have begun a 30-day crowdfunding campaign on
Indiegogo to raise the funds necessary to complete
production of COPD: Highly Illogical. We have gotten
together some great rewards and have some never before
seen footage of my father. Please join us in fulfilling Leonard
Nimoy final wish to prevent the loss of millions of lives.
Julie Nimoy is the daughter of Leonard Nimoy and coproducer
of COPD: Highly Illogical--A Special Tribute to
Leonard Nimoy