Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies

Episode 1

Magic Bullets

Mon, Mar 30, 2015112 mins

The search for a "cure" for cancer is the greatest epic in the history of science, spanning centuries and continents. This episode follows that centuries-long search, but centers on the story of Sidney Farber, who, defying conventional wisdom in the late 1940s, introduces the modern era of chemotherapy, eventually galvanizing a "war on cancer." Interwoven with Farber's narrative is the contemporary story of a 14-month-old diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The film follows her as she and her parents struggle with the many hardships and decisions foisted upon a cancer patient.