This breakthrough documentary focuses on the latest cancer treatments and medical technology advances that are giving patients who were previously given "death sentences" renewed hope for a cure and remission of their cancer. The video shows medical advances which save lives, proving that even late stage cancer can be treated and put into remission; there is always hope. You will meet patients whose oncologists had told them to settle their affairs, that nothing more could be done to save them... and see that they are now free of cancer! Meet the leading doctors and professors who are working together to create extraordinary medical advances both in Germany and in America, such as a blood test that tells the doctor which chemotherapeutic agent will target the patient's tumor and, more importantly, the floating cells that metastasize and cause serious damage. Conventional medicine alone is not always successful in the treatment of cancer; this DVD shows that there are new, revolutionary treatments that can take over where conventional medicine leaves off.
School still matters to a child or adolescent facing cancer. With childhood cancer survival rates now nearing 80%, most young cancer patients will find themselves going back to school. But will they be accepted and understood by their peers? Academically, will they be months behind? Will the effects of their treatment interfere with their learning abilities? This module addresses all these questions, and offers education professionals intimate, real-life case studies of five kids of differing age, race and genders who have walked this road. In short, compelling documentary stories, we meet four childhood cancer patients and survivors, and one sibling of a patient, and follow their struggles, in some cases years beyond their actual cancer treatment.
Reviews
"ESSENTIAL VIEWING, for what it tells us about the way kids and parents bear up - or not - under adversity no one should have to experience. By the end of the movie, having lived for a few hours with these families and their doctors, I understood that any of us who think we know how we'd act in their place are fooling ourselves."- Ella Taylor, LA Weekly
"A Lion in the House" will show teens and parents ways to cope with cancer. It shows how teens can help others feel better about their condition and provides helpful information. " - Mid-Hudson Library Health Information Project
Some children and teenagers facing childhood cancer lack familial support. Pediatric Oncology Nurses often grow close to these young people. But Nurses walk a fine line between professional care and taking on the role of a family member, or even a parent. Complex ethical questions are raised in these circumstances. This film tells the story of one charming, troubled teenager, his mother and his nurse.
This film will tell the story of several siblings whose brother sister fought cancer. Each sibling recounts their experiences of being pushed to side, left in the dark, and the stress and anxiety the experience brought to them. In frank interviews, they discuss symptoms of depression, their anger and their desire to rebel.
This film examines the role of spirituality for both families and medical professionals in the world of childhood cancer. How do families use faith to mitigate fear and uncertainty. How do medical professionals work with a family's belief system toward successful outcomes. How do the belief systems of medical professionals complement or impact their practice? In this film, families and doctors all speak with real honesty on these issues.
Many cancer treatments are not successful, therefore causing the child and loved ones to face the inevitable ¡V death. Studies indicate that physicians have an especially hard time talking to children and their families about death. Therefore, they may delay such discussions long past the appropriate point. This, in turn, denies young patients and families the chance to make informed decisions about invasive treatments, pain management, emotional and spiritual assistance and a host of other critical end of life issues.
Another critical gap in childhood cancer treatment involves appropriate use of palliative care, or comfort care. The primary goals of palliative care are to minimize pain and discomfort from the cancer and any related treatment and provide for the young patient's and family's needs on emotional, practical and spiritual levels.
This A Lion In the House program offers an intimate view of patients, families and professional caregivers when a cure for cancer is beyond reach. The program explores a variety of journeys at the end of life. Whether families draw on extensive or minimal support from siblings, stepparents and grandparents, they face choices that can lead to confusion and disagreement. Many other factors can increase the crushing burden at the end of a child's life, including a breakdown of communication within the medical team or between physicians, patients and parents; cultural barriers; and family stresses unrelated to cancer. Making decisions and living with them can be agonizing for everyone involved.
The survival rate among children and young adults with cancer has increased over the past thirty years. Despite this great progress, disparities remain in diagnosis, access to treatment, social services and support for young people from differing backgrounds, all of which can impact outcomes. Socioeconomic status may be even more important than race in determining health for children. The needs of uninsured and under-insured families also require national attention.
This A Lion in the House program shows the enormous burden that cancer puts on any family. It also brings to light the particular impact on families headed by single parents, uninsured or underinsured families, and people in communities where resources are scarce and support is difficult to obtain. Cultural and socioeconomic differences can increase the barriers that families face while they grapple with the physical and emotional tornado of childhood cancer. It reveals the work lives of dedicated healthcare providers and educators struggling to address the enormous needs of young patients, families and other caregivers.
Review
"Reminds you what it is to be human." - Duane Dudek, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
What happens long after treatment for cancer ends? A family may struggle for years with the financial and emotional impact of cancer, which can interfere with marriages, work histories, sibling welfare and overall family well being. Many survivors encounter other health issues ranging from cognitive and heart disorders, growth disturbances, secondary cancers and fertility issues to trouble with school and self-esteem. Therefore, it is critical that survivors continue receiving long-term follow-up care as they grow into adulthood. Unfortunately, many survivors do not receive the care they need for many reasons: fragmentation of health care and lack of professional training regarding follow-up, as well as survivors lack of awareness about long-term health risks, lack of insurance coverage, concerns about job or insurance discrimination, or fear of a recurrence.
In this A Lion in the House program, viewers understand the challenges of cancer's immediate burdens, as well as its aftermath. The unfolding drama shows how families move beyond fighting the disease, and how lives must be restarted, redefined and reclaimed. It also highlights the critical needs that young survivors and families have for ongoing support from health professionals, educators, youth development specialists and other community- and faith-based organizations.
Breast cancer: two of the most frightening words in the English language. There's no shortage of advice for protection, detection and treatment options, and women presented with the diagnosis face an overwhelming number of choices. How do you make treatment decisions? And is there such a thing as a "survivor"? Our healthcare team tackles these questions and more on this episode of Second Opinion.
While survival rates for breast cancer continue to improve, for some women, recurrence is a devastating reality. When cancer returns, a sense of failure can confront both the patient and health care provider. Our expert panel explores a topic filled with both challenge and hope.
It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide. Would you be surprised to learn that cervical cancer is caused by a virus, and that a vaccine may soon make it a disease of the past? The latest in cervical cancer treatment and prevention is featured in this film.
Colon cancer is the third most common type of cancer among American men and in women and is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths (after lung cancer) in the United States. Learn about how doctors can help you catch it in it's earliest, most curable stage.
Today, one in five Americans will experience a diagnosable mental health disorder. That adds up to 44 million adults and 4 million children. And yet, it remains under-recognized by primary care doctors. This episode of Second Opinion introduces a panel of medical experts and health care providers, along with the First Lady of New Jersey, Mary Jo Codey, who shares her personal battle with depression. Together they explore the latest trends in diagnosis and treatment of this debilitating disease.
Though often portrayed as merely a sexual issue, erectile dysfunction can also be a signal of other significant health problems, such as hear disease. Second Opinion provides a candid discussion of causes and treatments, and reveals the many issues faced not just by men with this condition, but also their partners.
The diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer is a traumatic time for the patient and their loved ones. Yet life after the cancer treatment is often just as challenging. Experts, patients and laypeople discuss life after breast cancer - what it means to a woman personally, medically, socially and sexually.
With so much money going into cancer research and the success rate of cancer treatment increasing every year, why is a diagnosis of lung cancer still a death sentence? Experts who diagnose and treat the disease talk openly about the challenges of finding good diagnostics and a cure.
One of the deadliest forms of cancer, ovarian cancer is also one of the few cancers for which genetic testing can determine a person's susceptibility. This episode explores the challenges faced by a woman balancing the opportunity to know her genetic profile with only limited diagnostic testing and sometimes radical treatment options available.
In America , prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men, and the second most common cause of cancer deaths in men. But if it's found early enough, it's quite curable. In this film, you'll learn about how prostate cancer is tested for, diagnosed and treated.
Can that warm and fuzzy feeling of the sun bathing your body really come back to haunt you in the form of skin cancer? Absolutely. And for thousands of Americans every year, the cumulative effects of sun exposure result in an untimely death. In this film, medical experts and skin cancer victims come together to explore the signs, symptoms, and outcomes of this disease and clue you in on simple measures that you and your family can take to significantly reduce your risk.
We are in the midst of incredible advances in genetic research that may permit us to identify the genetic causes of disease and identify who may be at risk for various diseases. We visit the Genome Project at the NIH and explore the status of genetic mapping. There are strong advocates of a nutritional approach to disease prevention. We visit Dr. Dean Ornish and examine his approach of the impact of diet and lifestyle on prevention and even reversal of heart disease. We also visit scientists at Berkeley and explore the myths and realties of environmental causes of disease.
This is a moving portrait of a 30 year-old woman who has battled progressive breast cancer for the past 6 years. Melissa Brown is an intelligent and focused young woman. What makes her story unique is that from the initial diagnosis onward she has embraced a fully integrated approach to the treatment of her disease. She has received the best possible conventional care at major cancer centers such as Sloan-Kettering, Dana Farber and UCSF. But in addition to this she has fully researched and explored alternative therapies and with the full support of her oncologist she uses energy healing, acupuncture and Tibetan herbs. This is a story of courage, determination and grace.
Thousands of new cancer treatments are being tested on patients in clinical trials. Interviews with the scientists, clinicians, and patients reveal the excitement and frustrations of research, and detail the steps by which a drug is tested for safety and effectiveness. How are patients recruited for these trials? What procedures ensure patient safety? What are the concerns and hopes of the patients who choose to become subjects?
Cancer risk can be reduced through prevention models that change behavior. Smoking cessation, weight control and ending alcohol use can lower the incidence of cancer. Scientists are constantly testing pollutants in the air, water and food to assess cancer risk. Workers can be protected from exposure to pesticides and other chemical carcinogens. Medical screening tests can help gauge the effects of age, medical history, family history, gender, and ethnicity on cancer risk. Examples highlight a family history of breast cancer and prostate tests.
The reality of cancer as experienced by five patients of varying ages at different stages of the disease - and their families and caregivers. Voices focuses on quality of life, management of pain and symptoms of the disease and its treatment, sources of support, and the impact on the patient's family. A 28-year-old woman with breast cancer, a 7-year-old boy with leukemia, a 50-year-old woman with breast cancer, and a 54-year-old man with both Hodgkin's lymphoma and lung cancer share the choices and dilemmas of their treatment.
Awards
Annual Telly Award,Finalist, 2005
Columbus International Documentary Film Festival --Award Winner
Cancer research is making available a whole new era of targeted, molecular treatments. Using re-enactment, graphics and interviews, this program presents a clear, basic explanation of how normal cells behave and cancer cells begin. This is illustrated by following a hypothetical cancer patient through diagnosis and treatment. Experts from MIT, the National Cancer Institute and the Norris Cotton Center provide vital information.
Review
"Offers an excellent overview and detailed explanation of the origins of the disease. Features plenty of analogies and easy-to-follow diagrams, making the scientific story readily accessible, backed by powerful dramatization. Highly Recommended. 3 ? stars." - Video Librarian
Springtime gardens and woodlands across America's southern states Luscious flower gardens, spanish-moss draped woodlands, and graceful Southern charm is captured in a tour of America's southern states, complete with the blooming azaleas and dogwoods of a perfect springtime. Marshes and waterways are home to colorful birds in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Warm and colorful. Welcome to a soothing place where the world's beauty can immerse you in peace and renewal. If you need to calm your nerves and refresh your mind, use our videos without leaving your home or office and reduce your stress the easiest way possible. Beautiful Video has been proven to induce relaxation within just 3 minutes. Enjoy being an armchair traveler while you unwind-filming all over the world makes these videos unique! If you're too busy for yoga or exercise, then try Beautiful Video. Tranquility and serenity are at your fingertips with the "Beautiful" videos. Melt into the lush tropical scenes, cool mountains, and clear waters of countries around the world. Slow paced, soothing music and natural sounds wash away your worries and stress. The absence of speaking makes each video simply a welcome treat for your eyes and ears-a wonderful way to unwind or renew your spirit no matter which language you speak. Each 30-minute video features hundreds of scenic shots edited precisely together with award-winning composers best works from different music libraries around our world.
Review
"Southern Springs is a video consisting of vignettes of various spring scenes in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The video captures beautiful images of blooming azaleas, tranquil sunsets, sunrises, and peaceful waters. These visuals are, in turn, accompanied by soothing instrumental music. Together, the sound and images of this video series are designed to create a relaxing and refreshing meditation. " - Elise Vidal, Thomas Branigan Library, Las Cruces, NM, Educational Media Reviews Online
Although Caucasian women are diagnosed with breast cancer more often, African American women are dying at higher rates ?more than any other ethnic group, according the National Cancer Institute. A Celebration of Life: Rising Above Breast Cancer examines this disturbing fact and the three crucial reasons that lead to this outcome: fear, lack of access to health care and racial and economic bias. It is also a celebration of the lives of African American women who have survived breast cancer and work to educate others about early detection and taking charge of their own breast health. This documentary spans the country and talks with women who met the challenge of breast cancer and took command of their health needs. They share their experiences and urge others to be resolute about consistent self-examination, annual mammograms and pursuing medical diagnosis and care when a problem is detected.
Reviews
"This production is highly recommended for its unique approach and inspirational tone."- K. Glaser,
Video Librarian
"This extremely professional production is dedicated to exploring the fact that breast cancer is often detected in a later stage in African-American women... .A Celebration of Life is a well-made production that provides a very unique view of breast cancer in the African-American community nationwide. Suitable for both lay and professional audiences. " - Helen C. McCarthy, Rn, OCN, MPA Director of Cancer Communications
For more than five months, a Body & Soul team followed cancer patient Lenny Zakim for this documentary-style report on his search for a better quality of life through complementary therapies. We watch as Lenny visits his massage therapist and physical trainer. The interview explores why Lenny chose to add complementary treatments to his conventional cancer therapies, the role both can play for cancer patients, and the distinction between "healing" and "curing" someone with cancer.
We continue with Lenny, as he visits his acupuncturist, spiritual healer and finally attend a very touching and reflective healing service at his synagogue with his 12-year old daughter. Lenny says these complementary therapies changed the quality of his life for the better. I.e. it's not the fact of whether you find a "cure" for the cancer (Lenny's form of it was incurable) but whether it's possible to improve the quality of whatever time you have.
Review
"... the series is compelling... explores how consumers are using alternative practices alongside conventional care and brings to mind Bill Moyers' 1993 series, 'Healing and the Mind'... demonstrates why so many consumers find alternative therapies so appealing"- The Los Angeles Times
Not long ago, people with cancer had few treatment options. Today, advances in technology and scientific research have increased the number of effective treatment approaches. Biomodulation, gene therapy, and angiogenesis-inhibiting drugs are now becoming partners with the more traditional forms of treatment. Surviving the physical ravages of cancer, however, is only part of the battle. Cancer exacts a psychological, social, and spiritual toll as well.
Review
"This video does a good job of presenting clear information about breast and ovarian cancer treatments that treat not only the disease but the person. " - Sara E. Keyes, MRC , The Rehabilitation Professional magazine
Pacific Light was meticulously shot on film over 14 months to capture the most beautiful waves in slow-motion, in the most spectacular places along the west coast of the United States. R. Carlos Nakai is the world's premier Native American cedar flute player today. This Healing Music Relaxation DVD combines his Grammy nominated, "Inner Voices" CD with the Freddie Award winning cinematography of Thomas Day Oates Jr., to produce, as Alternative Medicine Magazine called it, "... a breathtakingly beautiful video." Pacific Light has proven time and again to be very effective in replacing the acute fears and anxieties that often accompany patients' suffering from strokes, cancer, heart disease, late night chronic pain, terminal agitation, extended stays in the I.C.U. and posttraumatic stress disorder with the experience of Healing-Peace. All who experience it are moved, some to tears. This DVD has a "loop" button for continuous broadcast. -Music and images only, no voice overs or text.
Reviews
"Incorporating music from "Inner Voices" a Grammy- Nominated CD by R. Carlos Nakai, a master of the Native American cedar flute, Oates created a breathtakingly beautiful DVD called Pacific Light." - Randy Peyser, Alternative Medicine Magazine
"Other similar videos are available on the market; however, Pacific Light is unique. It is one of the most beautiful and potentially healing video's I have seen." - M. J. Ott, MN, MA, RN, CS, Nurse Practitioner, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
"My patients use it late at night and when they are in pain. It really does lessen their pain." - P.C., Oncology Therapist, Tacoma General Hospital
This sensitive and powerful documentary chronicles a year in the life of Barb and her husband David, as they face Barb's diagnosis with breast cancer. We follow her through this emotional chapter in her life: diagnosis, treatment, family, and life after treatment. Barb's story is revealed to you as it is revealed to her, as it happens. This story is accented with the voices of seven other women as they reveal their individual journeys.
This video is a valuable resource for men whose prostate cancer has been diagnosed at an advanced stage. In clear language, a urologist and radiation oncologist explain the stages and grades of prostate cancer, and describe how treatments such as hormone therapy can slow the progress of the disease and provide quality of life, sometimes for years. There's also straight talk from men who are living with advanced prostate cancer, about everything from hot flashes to depression. They talk about finding information and support, and creating hope and meaning in their lives in whatever time they have left.
This video provides information about what prostate cancer is, and how it is diagnosed and treated and what patients can expect of surgical and radiation treatments. This video also deals with how men and their families can get information and comfort from a Prostate Support Group.
Prostate Cancer: Your Treatment Options provides information about what prostate cancer is, how it is diagnosed, treated and what patients can expect. The film also deals with how men and their families can get information and comfort from a prostate support group.
An examination of the health care systems in the U.S. and Canada comparing the quality, cost, and accessibility of care in both countries. Borderline Medicine, a one-hour documentary narrated by Walter Cronkite, explores the crisis in American health care and considers the lessons that the U.S. can learn from Canada 20-year experience with national health insurance. The program features powerful profiles of American and Canadian patients who have similar medical problems, but vastly different experiences with their health care systems. Health policy experts from both sides of the border speak candidly about the merits, liabilities, and trade-off that are part of both countries health care systems.
Awards
CINE Golden Eagle Award, 1991
Chris Award, Columbus Internationsl Film & Video Festival, 1991
Gold Award, Houston International Film Festival, 1991
No one ever thinks it can happen to them: your child has been diagnosed with cancer! It's always a terrifying diagnosis - and even more so when it's a child. What do you do?
The good news is that cure rates have improved dramatically. Thirty years ago, a child diagnosed with cancer had only a 10 percent chance of survival. Today, that number is up to almost 80 percent. But even the best statistics don't mean much to a family hearing this diagnosis for the first time. Meet a 10-year-old boy who is still undergoing treatment for leukemia; a thirteen-year-old girl who underwent life-altering surgery to get rid of her bone cancer and the parents who have held their kids? lives together emotionally as the doctors concentrate on their physical repair. Join us and share their heart-wrenching but life-affirming experiences - to better help us all comprehend this disease, and to learn the things each of us can do to help.