Healthcare Nonprofit Video Examples: 8 Patient Stories and Explainers That Work

Health nonprofits have a harder storytelling job than most. Patient privacy limits what you can show, clinical results are hard to film, and donors need to understand the science fast. The best healthcare nonprofit videos solve this with one patient, one family or one clinician, and a clear reason to act. Below are real, publicly viewable examples from hospitals, patient registries and global health organizations, with notes on why each one works and what your development or comms team can borrow.

Key facts

• Patient stories lead. Most examples here center a single patient or family in their own words.
• Short explainers drive action. NMDP uses a two-minute video to explain what joining its donor registry means.
• Founding stories build trust. St. Jude's history film ties today's care to the donors who made it possible.
• Skills videos double as outreach. The American Heart Association teaches Hands-Only CPR through a short scenario.
• Consent comes first. Every patient story needs a signed release, and minors need parental consent. See our legal tips for nonprofit video.

Healthcare nonprofit video examples

1. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: "The Dream"

A short history film narrated by Marlo Thomas that traces St. Jude from its humble beginnings to its achievements, crediting the donors who made them possible. Watch on St. Jude.

Why it works: it makes donors part of the founding story. Every viewer who gives today joins a promise that started decades ago. A founding-story video belongs in your welcome series for new donors.

2. St. Jude Together: "Sophia on Finding Motivation from Other Cancer Patients"

Sophia, a pediatric cancer patient, talks about drawing strength from other patients and survivors. Watch on St. Jude Together.

Why it works: it is made for families going through treatment, not for donors, and that is why it feels honest. Program-facing videos often become your most persuasive donor content too.

3. NMDP: "Four things to know before joining" the registry

A two-minute video explaining blood stem cell donation and what it means to join the NMDP Registry. Watch on NMDP.

Why it works: it answers the questions that stop people from signing up before they ask them. If your call to action involves a commitment (registering, volunteering, enrolling), an objection-handling explainer lifts conversion.

4. Shriners Children's: "Aidan's Story"

Aidan, born with bilateral clubfoot, describes how Shriners Children's corrected his feet. Today he is a college student who runs and hopes to complete a marathon. Watch on Shriners Children's.

Why it works: it shows the long arc. Instead of stopping at surgery, it jumps to the life the care made possible. Return to past patients for "where are they now" stories; donors love proof that impact lasts.

5. Shriners Children's: "Colbi's Story"

Colbi and his mother travel from Vermont to Shriners Children's Philadelphia for therapy after a head-on crash with a drunk driver. Watch on Shriners Children's.

Why it works: the parent's perspective. A mother explaining how far they traveled and why tells donors more about quality of care than any statistic.

6. American Heart Association: "Shared Moments"

Made with the Anthem Foundation, this short video shows how a bystander can perform Hands-Only CPR on a loved one in cardiac arrest. Watch on the AHA CPR blog.

Why it works: it gives viewers a skill, not just a story, and the corporate partnership is built in. Education-first videos earn shares that appeals rarely get, and they make strong sponsor deliverables.

7. Doctors Without Borders: Dr. Innocent Kunyuwana

The story of a doctor who grew up in rural Democratic Republic of Congo and became the first Congolese physician to lead MSF's emergency team in South Kivu. Watch on Doctors Without Borders.

Why it works: it centers local leadership instead of outside rescuers. For global health organizations, featuring national staff is both more accurate and more compelling.

8. Children's Miracle Network Hospitals: "Stand By Our Champions"

Child Champions from member hospitals perform their own version of "Stand By Me," with Morgan singing lead. Watch on CMN Hospitals.

Why it works: it lets patients be kids. A music video celebrates the children instead of defining them by their diagnosis, and it gives corporate partners something joyful to share.

Healthcare video work from Happy Productions

We produce healthcare and health-advocacy videos for nonprofits and public bodies. A few examples:

• Children's Miracle Network Hospitals: short-form videos of CMN families and staff built for a Gen Z audience. The campaign reached 600,000+ people organically, one video passed 1 million views, and it raised $1,500 in donations within 30 days.
• CREPH Medicaid coverage documentary: a seven-and-a-half-minute documentary built from seven interviews filmed in Hartford, which opened a Connecticut General Assembly commission forum on Medicaid coverage. The same shoot produced 20 short vertical videos.
• DKMS US donor registry campaign: patient and donor stories that registered more than 1,350 new stem cell donors in three months. Carly Joseph's story alone drove hundreds of sign-ups.
• Project HOPE: impact stories filmed at a Texas medical clinic.

See all our work on the case studies page, or read how we approach video for healthcare nonprofits.

What the best healthcare nonprofit videos have in common

1. One person, one story. Every example above centers a single patient, family or clinician.
2. The life after care. Show what treatment made possible: school, running, singing, coming home.
3. Plain-language science. If a viewer needs a medical background to follow it, rewrite it.
4. A clear next step. Register, give, learn CPR, share. One action per video.
5. Dignity on screen. Avoid scenes that a patient would be embarrassed to see shared. Ask them what they're comfortable with.

Privacy and consent basics for health stories

Health nonprofits that are part of, or work closely with, hospitals and clinics often handle protected health information. Before you film:

• Get a signed release from every patient on camera, and parental consent for anyone under 18.
• Check with your privacy or compliance officer whether a separate authorization is required for any patient information you share.
• Keep charts, screens, wristbands and whiteboards out of frame.
• Let patients review their story before release where you can, and tell them where it will run.

Formats to plan for

• Patient story (2–3 minutes): for galas, major donor meetings and year-end appeals. See our testimonial video guide.
• Explainer (60–120 seconds): for registries, screenings and enrollment.
• Short vertical clips (15–45 seconds): cut from the same shoot for social.
• Grant video (60–90 seconds): many funders now ask for one; see our grants that require a video directory.

Make your next health story

Happy Productions makes videos for nonprofits, foundations and NGOs, with 20,000+ vetted storytellers in 130+ countries and campaigns that have passed 1 billion views. If you're planning a patient story, donor registry push or year-end appeal, book a free consultation or explore our nonprofit video production services.