NASW Supports A Lion in the House

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Social Workers is a proud national partner supporting the airing of A Lion in the House, a compelling documentary following the lives of five families fighting childhood cancer.  The series will air on the PBS series, Independent Lens, from 9 – 11 p.m. (check local listings).

“You child has cancer.”  Hearing these four words will profoundly change a family’s life, plunging them into a world of uncertainty, emotional upheaval and excruciating decisions.  Every year in the United States, approximately 12,500 children and adolescents are diagnosed with this disease.  Each will have a unique experience in confronting the disease and the treatment, but all will embark on a journey that is bewildering, terrifying, nearly unbearable, and certainly quite unlike anything most people associate with the normal experience of childhood.  The families of the children will join them on their harrowing odyssey, and regardless of outcome, no one involved will ever be the same again.

From the trauma of diagnosis to the physical toll of treatment, from the stresses that can tear a family apart to the courage of children who face the possibility of death with honesty and humor, rebellion and dignity, A Lion in the House is an unprecendented portrait of this life-altering experience captured in all its complex dimensions.  As the film compresses six years into one narrative, it puts viewers in the shoes of parents, physicians, nurses, siblings, grandparents and social workers as they struggle to defeat an indiscriminate and predatory disease.

A Lion in the House is an intimate, intense and ultimately inspiring documentary about ordinary people getting through the impossible.  A co-production of the Independent Television Service (ITVS), the documentary will have its broadcast premier on the ITVS and PBS series, Independent Lens, June 21-22 from 9-11 p.m. (check local listings).

About the National Association of Social Workers
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), in Washington, DC, is the largest membership organization of professional social workers with 150,000 members. It promotes, develops, and protects the practice of social work and social workers. NASW also seeks to enhance the well being of individuals, families, and communities through its advocacy.