FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Della Cassia, 248-305-3770, dcassia@dptv.org
CANCER: THE EMPEROR OF ALL MALADIES,
Executive Produced by Ken Burns and Directed by Barak Goodman, to Air on Detroit Public Television March 30, 31 and April 1, 2015
Local screenings: March 5 & 10, 2015 at St. John Hospital in Detroit & Novi
DETROIT (February 13, 2015) – We’ve all been touched by cancer in one way or another. Whether it is a parent, friend or colleague, we all know of someone who is fighting the disease, triumphed over it, or succumbed to it. Whatever the case may be, we find ourselves asking “Why” and “How.” Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies, a special documentary executive produced by Ken Burns and directed by Barak Goodman, will tell the comprehensive history of cancer, from its first description in an ancient Egyptian scroll to the gleaming laboratories of modern research institutions.
Based on the bestselling book by Siddhartha Mukherjee, the six-hour documentary interweaves a sweeping historical narrative with intimate stories about contemporary patients, and an investigation into the latest scientific breakthroughs to help defeat cancer.
The film comprises three episodes that will air on Detroit Public Television (DPTV) March 30, March 31, and April 1 at 9 pm.The first episode, Magic Bullets, will examine the centuries-long search for the origins of cancer, while the second episode, The Blind Men and the Elephant, picks up the story in the wake of the declaration of a “war on cancer” by Richard Nixon in 1971.
The final episode, Finding an Achilles Heel, picks up when scientists believe they have cracked the essential mystery of the malignant cell, but unfortunately, find themselves battling new layers of complexity and an array of unforeseen defenses.
The public is also invited to join DPTV and St. John Providence for two screenings of the film. The first will take place on March 5 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Providence Park in Novi, and will feature a panel presentation with Dr. Michael Kraut, Medical Director, Providence Cancer Institute, Director of Thoracic Oncology. The second screening will take place March 10 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at St. John Hospital Auditorium in Detroit. This one will feature Dr. Al Katib, Medical Director of Oncology, Section Chief, Hematology.
The screenings are free but registration is required due to limited seating. For more information or to RSVP, call 866-501-3627.
About Detroit Public Television
Detroit Public Television (DPTV) is the non-commercial, viewer-supported PBS-member station watched by more than 1.5 million people in Detroit and Southeast Michigan and another 1.2 million people throughout Canada. DPTV also manages WRCJ 90.9 FM, Detroit's classical and jazz radio station, in collaboration with the license-holder, the Detroit Public Schools. The radio station is located in the Detroit School of Arts. DPTV is licensed to the Detroit Educational Television Foundation and governed by a volunteer board of trustees from the local business, civic, and cultural communities.
