Modules

A Lion in the House Resources

A Lion in the House DVD
The Emmy Award-winning documentary, A Lion in a House, looks at the cancer journeys of five young people and their families and caregivers over six years. Audiences witness the families’ struggles and triumphs as they face challenging questions: How does a late diagnosis affect outcome? How many experimental treatments should a child face? How can a parent balance the need to be a full-time caregiver with the need to hold a job with medical benefits? What's the difference between "giving up" and "letting go?"
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A Lion in the House Educational Modules, with Licenses
The following seven educational modules were developed to meet the educational needs of physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, case managers, volunteers and students who care for children and their families facing chronic and potentially life-limiting illness. The modules are created from more than 500 hours of documentary material.

image to come	Cancer Health Disparities This module shows the enormous burden that cancer puts on any family, as well as the socio-economic disparities that can limit health care access and compliance. It also brings to light the particular impact on families headed by single parents, uninsured or underinsured families, and people in communities where resources are scarce and support is difficult to obtain. Order module.
image to come	Childhood Cancer Survivorship Stories (Accredited), 32 min. in 3 Parts with "Meet the Kids" and Introduction Late effects of childhood cancer treatment can appear long after treatment ends. This module illustrates how early education about late effects can help health care professionals, survivors and families cope with their long-term psychosocial and physical impact. It also discusses the importance of long-term follow-up care, and how it can meet survivors' needs. Order module.
	Childhood Cancer and School Issues 36 min. in 4 Parts with Introduction With childhood cancer survival rates now nearing 80%, most young cancer patients will find themselves going back to school. Cognitive late effects and psychosocial challenges may be factors when cancer survivors and their siblings return to school. This module follows the struggles of four survivors and one bereaved sibling, and recommends interventions for medical and educational specialists. Order module.
	Pediatric End-Of-Life Case Studies 70 min. in 3 Parts with Introduction This powerful module presents three pediatric patients and their families and health care professionals, as they struggle to communicate effectively during the emotionally challenging end-of-life journey. The module is designed for the entire medical team and other caregivers and health care educators responsible for curative, palliative, hospice and/or bereavement care. In each story, the viewer experiences multiple end-of-life issues and differing points of view. Order module.
	Spirituality and Childhood Cancer 61 min. in 4 parts with Introduction and Conclusion In this module, we experience three families' varying reliance on their spirituality or religious faith as they wrestle with difficult health care decisions. How do belief systems impact parental choices in critical care situations? How might medical professionals recognize and respond to spiritual needs and/or crises in families? Health care professionals grapple to adequately support families as they encounter formidable challenges to meaning and purpose in life and death. Order module.
	Sibling Issues 50 min in 10 parts with Introduction This module tells the story of several siblings with a brother or sister who has fought cancer. Each sibling recounts the experience of being pushed aside or left in the dark as their family dealt with the all-consuming needs of the child with cancer. In frank interviews, these siblings describe the stress and anxiety they experienced, as well as their feelings of anger, depression,and the desire to rebel. Order module.
image to come	Nurse-Patient Boundaries Pediatric oncology nurses sometime grow close to their patients, especially those who lack family support. When nurses and other health care professionals walk a fine line between professional care and taking on the role of a family member, or even a parent, complex ethical questions arise. This module tells the story of one teenager, his mother and his nurse. Order module.

A Lion in the House Companion Book
This richly illustrated book contains in-depth interviews with the families and caregivers featured in the film and the health care professionals who worked with them. Their voices, together with those of filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steve Bognar, provide powerful testimony to the courage and resilience of those coping with a child’s life-threatening illness.x Order the book