film

The Chemo Ate My Homework

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Producer(s)	Craig Leake
Release Date	2006
Work In Progress	n
Runtime	27 min
Youth Media	n

Film Description

“When they get to the hospital one of the first things they ask me is, Am I going to be behind in school? Will I fail this year? ...A lot of times, even during the worst effects of radiation and chemotherapy, they still want to have school.”

—Dennis Medford, teacher

Kids with cancer are kids first. In between their surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy, they want and need to continue with the things that make up their ordinary lives. At St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Tennessee, a brave, dedicated, and exceptionally skilled corps of teachers help to give young patients a measure of normalcy amidst the pain and fear that goes with their illnesses.

This remarkable documentary follows the teachers’ struggles to help the kids remain engaged with their studies until they are well enough to return home to their own schools. But not all the kids make it, and teachers must develop the emotional strength to cope with their grief and carry on with those who do. The film also introduces us to some wonderfully eloquent young people:

“Education is a huge part of your life…There are so many things out there that we still wonder about…it sometimes gets real hard, but I still keep on trying.” “You realize that you don’t have time for all that mess. The students here, the reason why they seem so above average is because they realize how precious time is.”

—Tim Sheets and Savannah Sharp, students

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Last Updated On:	February 09, 2012