ATLANTA, Ga. – A new documentary titled “The President and the Dragon” explores former President Jimmy Carter’s decades-long mission to eradicate Guinea worm disease.

It’s a cause he championed until his death in 2024.

Carter began leading the global effort in 1986, when the parasitic disease affected more than 3 million people worldwide.

Spread through contaminated drinking water, Guinea worm disease causes severe pain and disability, particularly in remote communities with limited access to clean water.

Thanks to Carter’s advocacy and the work of the Carter Center, the disease is now on the brink of eradication.

As of 2023, only 14 human cases were reported globally — a staggering drop that positions Guinea worm to become just the second human disease in history to be wiped out, following smallpox.

The documentary not only chronicles Carter’s humanitarian legacy but also underscores the power of sustained global health efforts in transforming lives.

Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.