Toward a New Family-Physician Alliance

"The family caregiver walks away with the hapless patient. That's it. Nothing is given in terms of what's coming down the pike."  – J. Glazer, from film

It's hard to imagine anything more devastating than to be told that someone you love has an aggressive form of brain cancer. Many family members who have received this news have soon after been thrust into the unexpected role of caregiver, helping their loved one to cope with and understand the diagnosis, and to follow an unmapped course through a complex and unfamiliar medical system. "The family caregiver walks away with the hapless patient – that's it," says Jack Glazer in the film. "Nothing is given in terms of what's coming down the pike." This insightful documentary follows several patients and their caregivers as they face an array of challenges: surgery, painful and frightening rounds of chemotherapy and/or radiation, medications and their side effects, home care, physical and psychological changes and, perhaps most difficult, balancing hope and realism in the face of a discouraging prognosis. The program is designed for clinicians as well, and profiles outstanding examples of effective coordination and mutual support between physicians and family members. (2007, 45 min.)

In association with the University of California's Osher Center for Integrative Medicine and the UCSF Department of Neurosurgery

Producer/Director/Cinematographer
Andrew Abrahams

Editor/Additional Camera
Renny McCauley

National PBS Broadcast

Best of Category
National Health & Medical Media Awards

Official Selection
Kos International Health Film Festival

Producer/Director
Andy Abrahams Wilson

Editor/Additional Camera
Renny McCauley

Executive Producers
Susan Folkman, PhD
Michael Rabow, MD

Consulting Producer
Mitchel S. Berger, MD

Associate Producer
Steffanie Goodman, MPH

Major Funding
Mental Insight Foundation
The Langeloth Foundation
Arthur Vining Davis Foundation