PULSE THE ANSWER TO CANCER CHEMO, SARCASM AND CYNICISM ADD TO THE CURE IN 'MEDICINE SHOW'.Byline: Mariko Thompson Staff Writer MOST PEOPLE don't get colon cancer colon cancer, cancer of any part of the colon (often called the large intestine). Colon cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in the United States. at age 33, much less find humor in it. But that's how Wendell Morris survived his battle against the disease, with cynical witticisms and an eye for the absurd. Morris distilled his experience into the script that became ``The Medicine Show,'' which he also directed. The movie, starring Jonathan Silverman and Natasha Gregson Wagner, airs at 9 p.m. Saturday on The Movie Channel. Morris wrote the script while he underwent six months of chemotherapy. He wanted to make a movie that countered the sappy, tearjerker tear·jerk·er n. Slang A grossly sentimental story, drama, or performance. tear  -jerk approach to illness so often portrayed in film. The result is
a darkly comic yet nuanced look at cancer.
``I'd seen movies like 'Dying Young,' and they drive me crazy,'' Morris said. ``I wanted to tell an honest, funny story. You lose control of your body when you have cancer. A lot of that is funny in a sick way.'' In ``The Medicine Show,'' Silverman plays Taylor Darcy, a sarcastic young man who receives the unexpected diagnosis of colon cancer. As the dead man walking, Darcy endures the well-meaning, sometimes inept and sometimes surprising reactions from friends and family. In treatment and recovery, Darcy sees the intelligence and compassion as well as the rigidity and dehumanizing aspects of the health-care system. Though his cynicism serves as a source of strength, it also has deadened dead·en v. dead·ened, dead·en·ing, dead·ens v.tr. 1. To render less intense, sensitive, or vigorous: him to joy and love. During his recuperation recuperation /re·cu·per·a·tion/ (-koo?per-a´shun) recovery of health and strength. recuperation, n the process of recovering health, strength, and mental and emotional vigor. , Darcy meets Lynn Piegi, a leukemia patient played by Wagner. Piegi not only teaches him hospital survival tips but how to open his heart. As unflinching as Morris is in depicting illness, ``The Medicine Show'' ultimately celebrates the strength of the human spirit. ``I never felt that horrible I'm-going-to-die feeling,'' said Morris, who has been cancer-free for five years. ``I never met people who had that feeling. Cancer is so treatable these days. I don't want people to be afraid of cancer. If you can laugh about something, it becomes less scary.'' THE MEDICINE SHOW What: Jonathan Silverman stars as a young man who is diagnosed with colon cancer. Where: The Movie Channel. When: 9 p.m. Saturday. TAKE A HIKE: Get in touch with the great outdoors on a fitness walk starting at 9:30 p.m. Friday at Soka University of America SUA's educational philosophy was established by Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, the first president of Soka Gakkai, who had worked as the principal of an elementary school in Japan. Makiguchi published the Value Creating Educational System based on his belief that "the purpose of education is to in Calabasas. The walk, led by Gail Holloway, is free and includes a moderate hike, deep breathing and stretching. The campus is at 26800 W. Mulholland Highway  This article or section may be confusing or unclear for some readers.Please [improve the article] or discuss this issue on the talk page. . Call (818) 878-3741 for reservations and more information. TERRIBLE TEENS: Most new parents stock up on books on pregnancy and the baby's first year of life. But what about those hair-raising adolescent years? To help parents navigate the years between 12 and 21, the American Academy of Pediatrics The American Academy of Pediatrics ("AAP") is an organization of pediatricians, physicians trained to deal with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. Its motto is: "Dedicated to the Health of All Children. has published ``Caring for Your Teenager'' (Bantam; $18.95). The guide offers advice on how to set limits, how to give teens the confidence to handle peer pressure and how to ease anxieties about their changing bodies. The book includes a chapter on common medical ailments, such as acne, headache, asthma and sexually transmitted diseases Sexually transmitted diseases Infections that are acquired and transmitted by sexual contact. Although virtually any infection may be transmitted during intimate contact, the term sexually transmitted disease is restricted to conditions that are largely . RUN FOR FUNDS: The Revlon Run/Walk for Women in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. celebrates 10 years of raising funds for cancer research on May 10. The 5K event, hosted by actress Debra Messing of ``Will & Grace,'' is expected to draw 60,000 people to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum For board track racing circuit, see . Present use The Coliseum is now primarily the home of the USC Trojan football team. During the recent stretch of its success in football, most of USC's regular home games, especially the alternating games with rivals UCLA and Notre . The Los Angeles and New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of events combined have raised $26 million toward cutting-edge research. Registration costs $25 through Thursday and $30 afterward. Check-in begins at 7 a.m. For more information, call (310) 393-6344 or visit www.revlonrunwalk.com. CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1) Leukemia patient Lynn Piegi (Natasha Gregson Wagner) meets Taylor Darcy (Jonathan Silverman) after his treatment for colon cancer begins in ``The Medicine Show.'' (2) Wagner's character teaches Silverman's cynical patient how to survive the hospital system - and to open his heart - in the film that was written and directed by cancer survivor Wendell Morris. (3) no caption (Book: ``Caring for Your Teenager'') |
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