Parenthood
 

A TV series on NBC...."Parenthood " ... just revealed that a main character has HER2 positive breast cancer. Sure hope the producers/writers have consults and get this right ......

Re: Parenthood
 

We have been watching it, so far much of it rings true .

Re: Parenthood
 

Maybe it will bring some much needed recognition to this dreadful disease.

Re: Parenthood
 

No shit. I hate it when they portray it as anything but honest.

Re: Parenthood
 

Thanks for posting this. I just went to "On Demand" to watch this episode and will now start recording this show.

Mary Jo

Re: Parenthood
 

I "found" Parenthood later than some so went on a Parenthood binge sometime back and got caught up. I just watched (a few minutes ago) the show that was aired earlier this week. I was surprised that Kristina has HER2 but I think it will bring much needed attention ("out there") to this type of cancer. We already knew that Kristina had a 1.6 cm tumor and this week we found out that she has one positive node and is HER2 positive. My first thought was that one or more of the writers knows someone (or is someone). Next week Kristina starts chemo so we shall see how this goes. The words targeted therapy or Herceptin have not yet come up (although the breast surgeon mentioned that there was an effective therapy for the disease). I, too, hope for an accurate and detailed portrayal of HER2.

Re: Parenthood
 

In real life Kristina is a BC survivor DX'd at age 36. Maybe she was HER2+, although I have not found that info anywhere. She has started a foundation--

http://rightactionforwomen.org/about/

Will be interesting to follow the story line.

Re: Parenthood
 

Rhonda,
Thanks so much for the information. I had no idea that the actress who plays Kristina had had breast cancer. I am guessing that she is grateful to be drawing attention to what a diagnosis and treatment (and life beyond) are like for so many.
k

Re: Parenthood
 

This is not the same person, as in the show Parenthood.
The actress who plays this role is Monica Potter.



This one you are talking about is Kristina Applegate, she plays in the show called Up All Night.

Quoted:
In real life Kristina is a BC survivor DX'd at age 36. Maybe she was HER2+, although I have not found that info anywhere. She has started a foundation--

http://rightactionforwomen.org/about/

Will be interesting to follow the story line.

Re: Parenthood
 

How refreshing...for some real reality TV....
Lets hope they portray Her 2 correctly.

Thank you for posting this info.
Jean

Re: Parenthood
 

Yorkie, you are right!

I was trying to find a contact for the show Parenthood to see if I could get any info on the HER2 angle and somehow got Kristina Applegate confused as the actress on Parenthood. I guess there is a slight resemblence. I'll keep looking for a contact on the HER2 issue on Parenthood. I think they could benefit from viewing our site!

Re: Parenthood
 

I've been watching this show all along, and just reviewed it on my blog.

Maura Tierney was going to play the role of Sarah Braverman, but she was diagnosed with HER2+ breast cancer and had to drop out, leaving the role to Lauren Graham. So, I have been hoping they would be honest about it - maybe talk to Maura, who has been very active in saying chemo is not that hard.

Spoiler alert: This weeks episode was really good. Some of it was accurate and some was not, but they got all the swirling emotions right. And, how some people say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing, and how dysfunctional families get worse, not better. The scenes from next week show here getting her first chemo and getting really sick though, and I don't know about you, but I've been in that infusion room weekly for 3 years - I've never gotten sick and I've seen almost nobody complain about getting sick, so they are going to do the cancer chemo cliche.

It has been one of my favorite shows and it makes me kind of sick to have to watch it - no more escapism into this family for me. But, they are handling it okay - I would give it a B. :)

Re: Parenthood
 

It would really be nice if the show could truly show the reality of a diagnosis and treatment for many of us. In past episodes chemo was not discussed with a tumor significantly over 1 cm and, as I expected, the positive node involvement seemed to be the explanation for chemo (along with the type of cancer). I guess it is because the writers/producers think that audiences will be more likely to understand (ditto with the chemo sickness) but it would be "nice" (strange word in this case) to show folks that one can really get chemo with a very small tumor, without node involvement, and that all cancers can not be treated the same- and that this character has a rather unique situation and type of cancer. On the other hand, somewhat surprised that the term HER2 came up at all.

Re: Parenthood
 

I love this show. I had the same tumor size plus one positive node...and also shipped a daughter off to college this year. We all have different chemo experiences - I was pretty darn sick throughout most of my treatment, although rarely threw up. My first reaction was, "What, no port?"

Re: Parenthood
 

Exactly Karen. I think the writers (and even they themselves) know that most of the audience would not understand if it became to technical. They would lose the audience. We get it. We know all the technical aspects of the disease because we lived it. The average TV viewer is only touched by the emotion of it all.

When I saw the previews last week for this weeks upcoming show I was like..........yup, the DREADED chemo experience is what they will show. I, too, wished they wouldn't make it look quite that bad. I remember when I was told I needed chemo, that is the kind of stuff that scared the CRAP out of me.

Oh well......sadly, in all reality, it is just a TV show where ratings are the ultimate goal. That being said, I love the show and it's story line. I've cried many tears watching and those so called buried emotions come to life when I view.

Mary Jo

Re: Parenthood
 

Yes, I was crying and will cry again.

Re: Parenthood
 

I think they are doing a great job. And some people do get that sick from chemo. I was during A/C and T/H. No anti nausea meds worked for me, so I was incapacitated for the majority of 6 months. So bad that my mother had to bathe me. My husband had to squat and hold me up from behind as I puked in the toilet. I know I'm not the norm, but it does happen.

Re: Parenthood
 

More crying with the chemo sweater as someone gave me a chemo shawl.
I did get anxious (really) seeing veins used and no port. I just feel like saying......."don't do it"........."insist on a port. This really is not going to work out too well".
So unbelievable that we are seeing HER2 discussed on a popular TV show.

Re: Parenthood
 

Believe it or not, I did 8 rounds of chemo, bi-weekly and 1 year of herceptin with no port, using only my left arm. Call me stubborn (with a capital S) but I didn't want a port. I felt like I was giving in by getting one and told my onc. that although I was fighting chemo, I'd do that but would not do the port. She agreed and said some women do that and the chemo nurses would let me know if I'd need one. I never did. Although, looking back, I realize how much easier and less stressful having a port would have been. As you can see, I had a hard time accepting what I was about to go through back then.

Re: Parenthood
 

Hi Mary Jo,
Two oncology offices (rather the people in the know in them) took one look at my arms and just shook their heads!! People have trouble finding veins for my lab work!! So I was a lost cause for sure. I would have loved to not have a port. I didn't like it at all- I know many people are fine with theirs. Mine always grated on me (I didn't have troubles with it but it was like a constant reminder to me- not that my hair falling out and not feeling well were not........but for some reason I hated my port) but there was no way for me to go without. Good to know it is very possible.