August 1, 2023

WE ARE IN A MOVIE!!!!!
Dawnmarie Deshaies of Dawnmarie Healthy and Fit wears her ThermApparel UnderCool Cooling Vest in the film Bobcat Moretti.

Q. What is she wearing?

A. Dawnmarie is wearing a ThermApparel UnderCool Cooling Vest 2.0, size small in white. The movie was filmed in 2020 so the 3.0 version wasn't available yet.

Q. Why is she wearing it?

A. Dawnmarie has Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and her symptoms get worse when she overheats from exercise as do three-quarters of people with MS.

Q. What causes heat intolerance in MS?

A. In MS, inflammation in the nervous system causes damage to the myelin sheath, a fatty coating around nerve fibers that helps them send electrical signals. This damage and myelin loss (demyelination) impair the nerves’ ability to send electrical signals.

Heat intolerance in MS arises because changes in body temperature can affect the speed at which electrical signals travel along nerves — and that rate of speed is already slower in demyelinated nerves. Even a slight increase in core body temperature, as low as half a degree Celsius (or 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit), can further interfere with electrical signals from demyelinated nerves. This temperature dysregulation ultimately leads to a worsening of MS symptoms in response to heat.

Sometimes MS can cause damage to the parts of the brain responsible for regulating body temperature, for example, by governing sweating and shivering. This also can contribute to temperature sensitivity in MS.

Q. I don't have MS but I overheat. Do I need a cooling vest?

A. Cooling Vests are for everyone and anyone with any kind of heat sensitivity. You don't have to have MS to receive the benefits of a cooling vest. You most likely have heat sensitivity and don't even know it.

Heat sensitivity can be caused by many different medications and medical conditions. A few examples are listed below. If you would like to know more about heat sensitivity and how it affects you check out our #HeatIQ blog and specifically Part 3: Personal Risk Factors for Heat Stress.

Medications:

Antihistamines
Antidepressants
Phenothiazines
Anticholinergics

Heart and Circulatory System Conditions:

Diabetes
Hypertension
Pregnancy

Neurological Conditions

Lupus
POTS
Fibromyalgia
Multiple Sclerosis

Q. Will a cooling vest work for me?

A. YES!! A COOLING VEST WILL WORK FOR YOU!!

A cooling vest works by lowering or stabilizing body temperature. This helps make exposure to uncomfortable temperatures more bearable. Cooling vests are used by people suffering from heat sensitivity due to sports, industrial applications, medications, and individuals suffering from multiple sclerosis, and other neurological disorders.

BOBCAT MORETTI _ KEY ART - 2.jpg

Review by John Delia Sr.

One of the most heart wrenching films this year, Bobcat Moretti puts you in center ring with the life of a multiple sclerosis patient fighting for his life. It’s not as sad as it is inspiring, especially the performance by Tim Realbuto that will keep you captivated throughout the film. The drama has all the earmarking’s of movies like the recent A Man Called Otto, Silver Linings Playbook and Blindside, showing the determination and a revelation to live.

Dealing with multiple sclerosis and obesity and having to depend on his brother’s family for livelihood support, Bobby Moretti (Tim Realbuto) finds himself at a dead end. Constantly being pushed to get out and find a job by his brother Charley (Matt Peters), he wanders into the gym where his father was a notable boxer. Noticing the place has been run down and not being taken care of, Bobby asks owner Joanne (Vivica A. Fox) if he can clean the place up for no pay, but be able to watch the upcoming boxers. It’s a welcome chance to not be in the way at home.

A scene from BOBCAT MORETTI photo courtesy Stonecutter Media

After many days of being the cleanup guy, Joanne encourages him to lose some weight by using some of the gym equipment. Rob Margolies, who Directed and co-wrote the script, shows the power of fortitude as he shows Bobby start to change his outlook on life. Adding some key relationships with his assisted living mother Helene (Sally Kirkland), a fledgling boxer Lacy (Sheria Irving) and antagonist Tony (Jay Hieron), the movie takes a few twists and braces his audience for the fight of Bobby’s life.

With a profound performance by relatively unknown actor Tim Realbuto, it brings multiple sclerosis to the forefront. His obesity compounds the challenges that Bobby Moretti had to face. And if you are looking for realism, he shows how rough MS and overweight can be in debilitating a person. Putting his real life problem of obesity (he lost 154 pounds over the length of filming) to the test, you can see the change in his character as the film progresses.

A scene from BOBCAT MORETTI photo courtesy Stonecutter Media

Feeling the pathos, will and determination, the motion picture Bobcat Moretti is a must see for fans of the Drama Genre. The film is rated R by the MPAA for language throughout, some violent content and drug use. It gets very gritty, punishing and a bit gory during the boxing match. Not recommended for immature teens. Look for a special performance by Coolio.

Additional Film Information:
Cast: Tim Realbuto, Vivica A. Fox, Taryn Manning, Coolio, Matt Peters, Sally Kirkland, Louis Mustillo,Jay Hieron, Sheria Irving,
Directed and co-written by: Rob Margolies
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: Rated R for language throughout, some violent content and drug use
Running Time: 1 hr. 36 min.
Opening Date: August 4, 2023
Released in: Select Theaters, VUDU and VOD (Check local listings for a theater near you)

Read the full review by John Delia Sr.

VIP Edge - Greenville, Alabama
Carbondale 8 - Carbondale, Illinois
VIP Legacy - Greenfield, Indiana
Bay City 10 - Bay City, Michigan
DB Cinema - Deerfield Beach, Florida
Kent Theatre - Brooklyn, New York
Lumiere - Beverly Hills, California
Emagine Rogers - Rogers, Minneapolis
Emagine Woodhaven - Woodhaven, Michigan
Cinema Chatam - Chicago, Illinois
Emagine Glaxy - Monroe, Washington
Emagine Westown - MIddletown, Deleware
La Gran Plaza - Fort Worth, Texas
Movieplex - Dunkirk, New York
Heritage - Sandwich, Massachusetts
Movieland Blvd Square - Richmond, Virginia
Dutch Square - Columbia, South Carolina
Aurora Cineplex - Roswell, Georgia