The movie Extraordinary Measures chronicles the story and struggle of John and Aileen Crowley to find a treatment to save the lives of their two children, both of whom have Pompe Disease, an irreversible and rare disorder that prevents the body from breaking down glycogen (a form of sugar). Glycogen accumulates around the heart and skeletal muscles leaving children unable to walk or breathe on their own. I won't provide a movie review here since information about this new release is available everywhere, except to say that Extraordinary Measures is a family movie in two important ways.
First, it is a movie that parents and kids (13 and up in my opinion) can and should see together. It demonstrates the power of love and the determination parents have, even under the most dire circumstances, to provide children with hope and happiness each moment of their life. It shows that you can go up against and use the system to make a difference and that the "system" will invest in that risk and reward it. However the movie shows that making a miracle involves going against the grain, which is why meaningful change or advances take time. And the movie does the best job of explaining the interesection of capital, science, passion and faith the constitutes the process of biomedical innovation. A thoughtful, impactful movie about biotech and drug development? Extraordinary Measures is that and more because it ties the process of innovation to the ultimate purpose and people who benefit.
Second, the movie itself is the culmination of a process that has created a family of relatives, friends, supporters around the Crowleys. I was fortunate to have attended a post-movie reception that Geeta Anand, the gifted and gracious author of The Cure held in NYC yesterday. The group that gathered (including the Crowleys) -- including people involved in the movie, Geeta's literary agent (and mine) Joelle Delbourgo, former associates, etc. shared not only in the success of her book but in the spirit the book, the movie and the release of both have created: A sense that while anything may not be possible, nothing great happens without passionate intensity, friendship and cooperation and support of those you love. Such is the recurring source of hope.
Seeing the movie and reading The Cure will allow you to share in that experience. Few movies have been made to convey such a message. You read more about Extraodinary Measures and The Cure at the link below.
http://www.thecurebook.com/
First, it is a movie that parents and kids (13 and up in my opinion) can and should see together. It demonstrates the power of love and the determination parents have, even under the most dire circumstances, to provide children with hope and happiness each moment of their life. It shows that you can go up against and use the system to make a difference and that the "system" will invest in that risk and reward it. However the movie shows that making a miracle involves going against the grain, which is why meaningful change or advances take time. And the movie does the best job of explaining the interesection of capital, science, passion and faith the constitutes the process of biomedical innovation. A thoughtful, impactful movie about biotech and drug development? Extraordinary Measures is that and more because it ties the process of innovation to the ultimate purpose and people who benefit.
Second, the movie itself is the culmination of a process that has created a family of relatives, friends, supporters around the Crowleys. I was fortunate to have attended a post-movie reception that Geeta Anand, the gifted and gracious author of The Cure held in NYC yesterday. The group that gathered (including the Crowleys) -- including people involved in the movie, Geeta's literary agent (and mine) Joelle Delbourgo, former associates, etc. shared not only in the success of her book but in the spirit the book, the movie and the release of both have created: A sense that while anything may not be possible, nothing great happens without passionate intensity, friendship and cooperation and support of those you love. Such is the recurring source of hope.
Seeing the movie and reading The Cure will allow you to share in that experience. Few movies have been made to convey such a message. You read more about Extraodinary Measures and The Cure at the link below.
http://www.thecurebook.com/
