Lifetime Movie on Herceptin

[rebecca0623]

Just wanted to post that, at least in my cable area, Lifetime Movie "Living Proof" about Dr. Slamon and development of Herceptin starring Harry Connick Jr. and Bernadette Peters is showing Saturday Oct 18th at 8. I have the Tivo set and ready to go!

[Soccermom]

Thanks for the reminder Rebecca! Also Congrats on the negative BRCA test,

Hugs marcia

[Chelee]

Rebecca, I really appreciate the reminder. It seems I have the worse case of chemobrain possible. It's darn right embarrassing how bad it is. Reminders like yours will help burn it in my brain. lol I am so looking forward to watching this movie...I don't have tivo so I have to depend on my brain...scary! haha

Chelee

[Audrey]

I am really looking forward to watching this movie, too. Wish everyone on this board could get together for a viewing party, but I know we'll all be together in spirit, cheering on our hero, Dr. Dennis Slamon, and all those brave women who signed up for the early clinical trials of Herceptin

[mts]

Just bumping this up since there is quite some interest in this topic and many of us may not have seen this post.
Maria

[rebecca0623]

Just a little further information - the TV guide has it in my area as 8:00 pm on Saturday.

[lexigirl]

Can't wait!

Lexi

[CindyE]

I just found it on Dish at 6:00 on the west coast. I've got it set now to record.

[Terri B]

I've got my phone alarm set to go off on Saturday to remind me!

[caya]

Unfortunately this wonderful movie is only available in the US - I checked the Lifetime website and the information in the FAQ section states that this channel is not available outside the US. I am very disappointed.

I hope it will be available to buy on a DVD. I think I recall Joe may have mentioned he was trying to arrange this.

Any update Joe?

all the best
caya

[Chelee]

Caya, Even though I plan on watching it I still want a copy of it on DVD. I'm pretty sure after the movie airs they will have DVD's available.

I found one article that mentioned a big party they had for the actors that were in the movie...& it went on to mention that Peggy Siegal went up to Laura Bush & gave her a DVD of "Living Proof". So I'm hoping we will all be able to get our hot little hands on a copy after Oct. 18th. :)

Chelee

[Andrea Barnett Budin]

Tomorrow -- SATURDAY, OCT. 18 -- Lifetime channel --
DO NOT FORGET!

The movie about Herceptin and Dennis Slamon's remarkable journey to help save thousands of lives...

My DVR is set!

[tricia keegan]

Wish I could see it, please fill me in after!!

[madubois63]

So I've been waiting for all these months for this movie and wouldn't you know it...my daughter has a Sweet 16 to go to (4 pm to 10 pm). It's about 40 minutes from home, and the movie starts at 9 pm here. After the party, we are driving to Connecticut so that we can be in New Haven bright and early for a tour of the U of NH campus for my daughter. Both my kids will be gone in the fall :( . I have my sister armed and ready with the Tivo so I can watch it when I get to her house after midnight. I have my friend doing the same here so I can go to her house and watch it on Monday if need be...Don't forget the tissues!! I cry every time I see the commercial. I am going to be a blubbering idiot watching the movie....

[StephN]

Nah!
Maryann, you will NEVER be a blubbering idiot!

Maybe blubbering - but NOT an idiot. And that's final.

[janieR]

Like tricia, I wish I could see it.

Joe can you try and get a dvd sorted for this as I feel I am still here because of Dr Slamon and then this very accurate informative site with such genuine people to keep us going in the uk.

Thank you Christine and Joe

[RobinP]

I'm going to try to watch it, if it doesn't stir too many emotions for me. I read the book and I cried throughout it, knowing what these women were fighting and this was years before I ever knew I had her2 breast cancer. So whew, now I get to watch the movie, knowing I'm a her2 girl, awesome and kind of scary too, but thank God for Herceptin and for Dr. Slamon.

[tricia keegan]

Joe, Like Janie in the UK it would be fabulous if you get dvd's of this that will show here. Please keep us posted if you do!

[Paty]

I am also very disappointed that I won't be able to see it down here in Mexico. (Sniff!). Hope we can get DVD's later. I have the American Network on anyway on my TV, just to see if by any chance there is something there. To all of you who can see it, please enjoy it!!!. Love to all,

Paty

[micheleu]

i've got my red wine with me ready to watch it!! I'm really excited!!

[Mary Anne in TX]

Watching with chocolate.......

[Val Pfeiffer]

Joe and Christine were just on the Siemens ad...how cool is that!??!!

Val

[Joe]

We were sworn to secrecy until after the video was aired. For those who missed it:

http://www.fliqz.com/aspx/permalink.aspx?vid=ec2fe498aac212b4d21d12ef324299c 4


Regards
Joe

[Chelee]

Val, I'm watching too...but I jumped up during commercial so I missed the Siemens with Christine and Joe DARN IT. But thank goodness I have my VCR running in my back bedroom. I did that in case someone called or inturrupted my show.

I'll have to check it out...thanks for letting us know. Christine & Joe are becoming famous...and they so deserve it. :)

Chelee

[Yorkiegirl]

YES, I saw the commercial, still watching. I broke out in tears over the shower scene with him crying. gotta go finish watching.

[Mary Jo]

Oh my gosh....I loved the movie. It really made me so incredibly grateful for Dr. Slamon but also to Lilly "T" and to Revlon. I will ALWAYS buy Revlon make up from now on.

Anyway, I really cried and am so incredibly thankful for this wonderful man and I'm so thankful to be alive.

Love to you guys...

Mary Jo

[DianneS]

Hi,

I am supposed to start on 4 treatments of some type of chemo then another 4 treatments of another type (8 total every 3 weeks - 8 MONTHS!) then a year of Herceptin. I have noticed that some women do not have to have so much chemo even though they are Stage III.

Why am I getting so much for so long? Is this typical?

Also, what is the general opinion of chemo - is it tolerated mostly ok or do you just feel rotten the entire time?

Diannes

Dx right breast DCIS Aug 08
Bilateral mastectomies Sept. 9, 08
Right breast only Grade 3, 2 cm tumor, her2 positive, weakly ER positive. Nodes negative, no vascular invasion. Stage I-IIA - because of grade 3 and her2.

[Patty F]

I loved this movie. I am still sitting here with tears in my eyes. Very moving and touching. I also saw the commercial. Joe and Christine very nice.

[Val Pfeiffer]

hi Diannes--
Your reaction to chemo depends on what chemo drugs you are getting. Post again with that info, and people will reply. You can of course also ask your onco.

It still surprises me that there are so many different treatment approaches given by different providers around the country and around the world. My tx regime is listed in my signature.

Everyone is different, but I am a Spin (indoor group cycling) instructor (not my day job, but my 5 a.m. job!) and I was able to continue to teach my classes during my chemo. Admittedly Herceptin, Carboplatin and Taxol are not as harsh as others....but try to keep as active as you are able to tolerate and the time seems to go quicker :-)

Good luck!
Val

[Val Pfeiffer]

I, too, am emotionally drained. What if all that hadn't happened? We owe our lives to that guy. I am, for once in my life, without words!

Val

[nitewind]

Great movie. We do owe them so much! Christine you looked great!

[Rozebud]

It was amazing. Thank you Dr. Slamon....I praise God that I was diagnosed when I was and not 20 years earlier.

Great job Christine and Joe!
Does anyone know if the women in the original phase II trial are still with us?

[Soccermom]

Hiya Rozebud!! How are you sweetheart?
Y'all are not going to believe I didn't see it!!!!!! I HAD to go out and completely forgot...thank goodness its on tomorrow night at 7 CST !

Marcia

[RhondaH]

cried through an ENTIRE movie...until now. We have SO much to be thankful for.

[CoachPlayWin]

What a great story. For those of you who haven't read the book, I really recommend it. It was much less drama and more factual, more scientific.

Hey, does anyone know how to send a message to Dr. Slamon? I feel compelled to thank him somehow.

[Mary Anne in TX]

Inspiring movie that I hope many watched. I would love for others to know more about this journey and why raising money is so vital. Hope it put pressure on the insurance companies.
And Christine and Joe and the ad was more wonderful! I just wanted to bust my buttons! It just shows how very hard they have both worked and the sacrifices they have made for us!
Grateful, grateful, grateful! ma

[Gerri]

This movie, and more importantly the book, Her-2: The Making of Herceptin, a Revolutionary Treatment for Breast Cancer by Robert Bazell, point out how crucial research is and what obstacles researchers must overcome to bring their drugs to market. I agree with CoachPlayWin, it is a great book that gives you the complete history of this miracle drug.

The brave women who blazed this trail for us deserve our utmost graditude. I couldn't help but think of those on this board that are doing the same thing with the T-DM1 trial, and other trials. Thank you, all of you, who are taking part in these ground breaking trials.

Lilly Tartikoff played a huge role in making it possible for this research to move forward. My sister has participated in the REVLON Run/Walk since the first event. She has only missed two times in all these years. I have been walking with her since about 2000. The crowd has now grown to about 50,000. It has become far more meaningful for me since my dx. Each year Lilly Tartikoff introduces Dennis Slamon to the crowd and he talks about the latest research. For the past three years I have tried to get as close as possible to the stage and cheered my head off after his speech. He is my hero.

[Soccermom]

Val , Gerri and all...Wouldnt it be cool if we could all sign a gigunda "Thank YOU" card of some sort???
Marcia

[chrisy]

I watched it mostly by myself...my darling hubby couldn't take it. Too close to home, I guess. We watched the ending together and especially since he hadn't seen most of the movie, he was confused by the last scene - with Dr. Slamon running in the stadium. He didn't understand all the people in the stands and being an engineer type, he always insists on all the details.

So I'm trying to point out and explain the characters they focused on and who they had been in the movie....but I was in tears because really the people filling the stadium were all the people who got a chance to have more life, a better life for however much time, as well as those who just missed that chance.

Me. Us. Those to follow.

Thank you, Dr. Slamon.

[StephN]

That movie touched a nerve deep within me.
My hubby had planned to watch it with me as I have been "promo-ing" it to him for a while now.

So, we sat together on a comfy chair large enough to hold both of us, watching till the end.

Slight digression: In Jan. of 2002, when I was diagnosed with raging mets to liver, I did not know WHAT to do with myself. I did not know if I would live or die. I had not found this support group or any other that could help me know anything, except "the worst." While wandering in a large local book store I ran across a used copy of the making of Herceptin book. This is where I began to see that maybe the treatment I was on might work as it included Herceptin. I tried to channel those women for whom it had worked. I tried to understand the impossible! I tried to believe and have the same degree of faith that Dr. Slamon and his staff had in pushing the drug through development. I used guided imagery to help me in these efforts. I concentrated deeply before going to sleep each night. Perhaps trying to program my body to accept these drugs and fight the tumors. This was a very emotional time for me.

That book gave me some sense that I may have at least a small degree of power in a situation where I felt utterly powerless. But it still felt like Russian roulette.

I began to feel that it was practically a duty to Dr. Slamon and Genentech to be a responder and be a sort of standard bearer for others like me. Why not me???

Thus I feel I owe a lot to Robert Bazel for even writing the story, warts and all. I feel I owe a lot to Lily Tartikoff for believing in Dr. Slamon's idea of targeted antibody therapy. Dr. Slamon comes last but certainly NOT least. I have met him on 4 occasions (in public) and always thank him as best I can without embarrassing us both. I always let him know that I am "still" a living proof that he could be right. (Yes, I did use those words.)

Thus I had a real mare's nest of feelings to deal with even before sitting down to the movie. My husband had forgotten the passages I had read to him those years ago from the book. It became refreshed to him with tons more meaning. Now he really has an even better understanding of how lucky we are that I have managed as well for as long, in spite of all the setbacks.

Knowing Dr. Slamon and having heard him speak several times, I thought that Harry Connick, Jr. played a great interpretation of the good doctor. Have met Mrs. Slamon as well and her character was also well played.

[Soccermom]

WOW...
I cried, my husband cried and my daughter ...well she IS a teenager.
I read this just today..

"Heroes give instead of take. They act instead of talk. They step forward and do the hard and unseen jobs,to give the best of themselves- measuring their own success not by wealth or comfort,but by the lives they touch along the way..."

J.F. Peterson

I believe this describes our Dr Slamon~ I am beyond grateful for his personal sacrifices and those of the women who came before me, and those currently in trials..

Marcia

[harrie]

Just finished watching the movie. Incredible. It touched deep down inside my soul. My heartfelt gratitude to Dr Slamon, his wife for the support she gave him and all those involved in the clinical trials. It has all given life to so many.

[Christine]

Hi Val!!
I'm still rolling along with writing my book, I had wished for your professional touch, but understand your too busy to make this story a great hit. It will probably take me longer than I anticipated, since I will be doing it alone. I plan on pictures. I really wanted to share my mothers battle with breast cancer years after taking DES to help prevent losing me when she fell and was 4 months pregnant with me. It's a story that needs to be told.
Thanks for your post.
Hugs, Christine