Movie/TV Show Being Reviewed:
Farrah's Story

Reviewer:
Kelli Lasseter

Genre:
Documentary

Movies/TV Shows:
TV Show

Suggested Age Range:
Parental Guidance

Age Range Explained:
Unedited depiction of person in various stages of cancer treatment which could be disturbing for children.

Subject Headings:
Body image, Depression, Female lifespan development, Grief & loss, Relationships, Spiritual journey

Review:
On Friday, May 15, 2009, NBC aired Farrah’s Story, a documentary produced by Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O’Neal. Using only a camcorder, Farrah Fawcett gives the viewer an unedited look inside the mental and physical challenges she’s encountered while battling metastatic rectal cancer. Early in the story, Farrah discovers her cancer, previously in remission, had metastasized to the liver. Since the outlook from U.S. physicians was less than optimal with traditional therapy, Farrah chose to undergo experimental treatment in Germany . As the documentary unfolds, we learn that Farrah’s treatment, although briefly successful, wasn’t enough to force the metastasized lesions into remission. In fact, Farrah developed new tumors at the site of primary origin.

Farrah’s Story is an outstanding resource for clinicians, students, and clients seeking to address issues related to living with a terminal illness. Specifically, Farrah’s Story addresses grief (each stage of the grief process as defined by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross is easily discernable in the documentary), significance of family/friends, spirituality, and female lifespan development. Additionally, the documentary covers ethical and legal issues regarding the unauthorized use of client records ( Farrah’s medical records were leaked to the National Enquirer by an employee of UCLA. She subsequently sued the Enquirer and won). As a result of the suit, California has passed legislation to increase protection of client medical records. Farrah’s documentary is a source of inspiration for anyone affected by terminal illness. It is for this reason that Farrah’s Story is an invaluable resource for the counseling profession.