Louise Lives Large – It’s a fact. Every year, more than 300,000 kids around the world are diagnosed with some of form of cancer. Out of that statistic, about 1,000 kids under the age of 15 are from Canada.
That’s a scary fact, to say the least. However, thanks to technology, extensive research and new advances in medical treatment, these kids are not only living with cancer, but surviving it, too. But what happens when the medical part is done, and a kid, particularly a teenager, goes back to her social world amongst her fellow teens? Is there life after cancer without the fishbowl situation and the possible stigma attached to it?
Such issues are examined in Louise Lives Large, a comedy series that currently airs on the Family Channel.
Co-produced by Canada’s Verite Films — which also produced the hit CTV comedy series Corner Gas — and filmed entirely on location in Ireland, Louise Lives Large focuses on a teenage girl who is a cancer survivor, along with her adventures with her classmates and friends at an Irish private school.
“There are plenty of YA (young adult) books and movies that deal with teenage conflicts, but have tragfic endings. These days, cancer survival rates are quite high, but the focus doesn’t necessarily show the different aspects of that survival. With Louise Lives Large, I wanted to tell a story about a teenager who was dealt a bad hand, but wants to take control of their life and seek the answer to ‘what do I want to do in order to make the best life in front of me?’,” said series writer Carol Walsh during a recent phone interview from Dublin.
In order to give the series a sense of relevance and authenticity, Ms. Walsh went ahead and did a series of pre-production interviews with a number of young cancer survivors. “They were lively, funny, brilliant, clever and even eccentric,” she said. “When I spoke with them, these teen survivors were very generous with their respective stories about their cancer experiences. What I got to realize was this incredible sense of community that they had. They were united because of what they all had to deal with, yet maintained a great sense of humour. And through all of it, they were still teenagers.”
However, with the mission of Louise Lives Large of combining comedy for the whole family with a degree of sensitivity and relatable issues that affect teens today, Ms. Walsh also hopes the series will not only destigmatize cancer, but also develop a greater sense of awareness of what teenagers — who have a lot to live for and have the opportunity to pursue their future goals — have to go through when they are diagnosed with such a dreadful disease. “The support we have got has been incredible and heartwarming,” she said. “If we can help kids with cancer to tell them they are a little less alone, and create a greater sense of awareness with everyone else, then hopefully we have done our job to properly prepare the viewers.”
Other articles from mtltimes.ca – totimes.ca – otttimes.ca
Mtl Duct Cleaning and dryer vent cleaning answering all your questions
