Life as a miracle

Blood-curdling stories of man's ongoing hunt for the elixir of eternal life, the cutting edge of cybernetic implants and secrets of an Abkhazian centenarians village discovered in this new documentary.

As of 11 December, the Ebola virus has claimed 7,690 lives this year. From a couple of cases at the end of March, the outbreak's rapid spread has sowed seeds of panic all around the world. RTD goes to Liberia, the country hardest hit by the disease, to speak to those battling on the frontline against the terrifying illness.

Swinging new-borns by their feet and forcing toddlers to dive – Russian PE teacher, Elena Fokina, has adopted an unconventional approach to child development at her school in Dahab, Egypt. Her critics say these methods border on abuse. But Elena insists that kids raised this way become strong, agile and independent.

China was the first country to recognise internet addiction as a clinical disorder. It has hundreds of rehab camps where concerned parents can send their web-dependent kids, who don’t always go willingly. The path to recovery isn’t easy but it is most effective, if the parents walk it with them.

Is there such a thing as immunity to cancer or diabetes? Dr Jaime Guevara of Ecuador believes so. He discovered that people suffering from Laron Syndrome, a form of dwarfism, never appear to develop these life-threatening diseases. But could his amazing findings benefit everyone else?

Galina is often called the “Ice Maiden”. While everyone else layers up in winter, she walks around in a beach dress and sandals. She insists she is not cold and that freezing temperatures help her stay young and healthy.

A day in life of someone who lives with osteogenesis imperfecta – or brittle bone disease – is fraught with risk. Even the tiniest movement can lead to serious fractures.

This film tells the stories of people suffering from epidermolysis bullosa – a rare genetic disorder that makes a person’s skin as fragile as the wings of a butterfly.

This is a game in which the stake is human life. These people play with death. While the grim reaper stands at the head of the dying person’s bed, waiting for their final breath, volunteers from the Dutch “Ambulance Wish Foundation” arrive. They are prepared to fulfil any last wish of the patient. Completely free of charge! 

Located in the vast, far-off steppes of Kyrgyzstan, the Nazaraliev Medical Centre offers hope to drug addicts who must overcome their physical and psychological dependencies on controlled substances. 

The Akanksha Infertility Clinic in Gujarat, India, offers surrogacy services to childless couples desperate for their own baby.  While making money from surrogacy remains controversial, doctors such as Nayna Patel stay convinced of the benefits for all concerned.

Get up close and personal with some young women confined to wheelchairs, but who haven’t let their disability prevent them from doing what they love. Watch how they learn to waltz on wheels, as they prepare for the now annual ‘Miss Independence’ beauty contest.

Aleksandr Suvorov graduated with a PhD from Moscow State University's department of psychology, and later went on to become a professor and work with children who are deaf and blind. While these are impressive achievements, what makes them truly remarkable is that Dr. Suvorov is both deaf and blind himself, and must communicate primarily by touch. 

Autism is a fast-spreading illness. No scientist is certain where it comes from or how to cure it. One thing is clear: people with autism are intelligent individuals who don’t have the mental capability to stand their ground. As such, their well-being depends a great deal on the people around them.

These people look decades older than their real age. This is due to a genetic condition that affects their skin's elasticity: dermatochalasia. While their bodies and souls are still young, their faces trick others into believing otherwise.

E-waste, the term given to discarded electronic appliances, is often shipped by developed nations to poorer countries such as Ghana. RTD visits the country's most infamous dumping ground, Agbogbloshie. Locals call it “Sodom and Gomorrah” after the infamous Biblical sin cities. Its air and soil are polluted with toxic chemicals, while extreme poverty, child labour and criminal gangs are also rife.

Svetlana and Evgeny live in Ukraine. They met at church several years ago, and their life is totally changed now. They have 11 children and are very happy: Nine of them are adopted, and seven of the adopted kids are HIV-positive, as is Evgeny…