A boy and his grandmother have a difficult conversation about family, legacy, and love when he finds out that she has cancer.
Writer/Director: Allen Sowelle
“Nana”: Cassandra Braden
“Grandson”: Esquiel Osaze Sowelle
Read an interview “I’ll Talk About You” writer/director Allen Sowelle.
Resources for people dealing with a family member with cancer
One in three people in the U.S. face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. 25 percent of cancer survivors in the U.S. have school-aged children. This means that there a lot of families, and a lot of children, who are dealing with cancer right now with a grandparents, parent, family member, friend, or teacher. Also, siblings of children with cancer report that the support they receive at school is just as important as the support they receive at home.
Livestrong at School is a free set of online lessons for grades K–12 to help you teach students about cancer in a way that is age-appropriate, inspiring and empowering. The printable lessons (which are also in Spanish) include: national standards, clear learning objectives, engaging videos, extension activities, a check for understanding, ways that students can get involved in the fight against cancer
While every child is unique and will cope with an illness in the family differently, the American Cancer Society says there are certain responses you can expect to see:
- Children can’t always tell you, but may show you how they feel.
- A child may act less mature when upset.
- Children blame themselves.
- The child’s level of trust will show up in their behavior.
- Cancer treatment will bring out new and different responses from children.
Here’s more advice on helping your children understand a cancer diagnosis of a family member.
Other resources that may be helpful include:
- Warning signs for breast cancer
- Are breast self-exams important to do?
- How to do breast self-exams
- The stages of cancer
- Finding and paying for treatment
- Treating cancer with nutrition
- Personal story of coping with breast cancer
- Support for caregivers
- Find local support groups
- Helping kids cope when a family member has cancer
- Help for children with cancer
- More help for children with cancer
- Vital health exams for men
I really have to commend the writer of this episode for the way the story winds around until it lands on the boy saying “I’ll talk about you.” I think it’s the writer’s way of letting us know the grandmother is more afraid than she is letting on. Very interesting.
People don’t really talk about death until it happens close to them, and even then sometimes they don’t talk about it enough. It can be so challenging, but everyone deals with it sooner or later. It’s great to see it addressed in this episode.
This was a touching story and well acted. Kids can be so resilient even when facing life’s cruelest moments. Gotta give them credit.
Simply beautiful and touching! My eyes were welling up. Another pearl of wisdom to guide you in life.
Thank you for sharing and keep up the good work.
Beautiful. Very meaningful, cries out for discussion. Makes me proud to watch it.
We’ll get you next time…….I cry every time I watch it.
j
Amazing and very touching. Almost made me cry
Serious stuff, intense, I love it!
It’s amazing how powerful these short episodes can really touch ones heart. Excellent performance by both actors to keep ones attention focused on the story line. Great job all around!
These videos are authentic pearls of wisdom. Please keep making them! Thank you!
damn girl!!! you mean it!! you make this happen. thank you.
These videos are authentic pearls of wisdom. Please keep making them! Thank you, Varda
These videos are authentic pearls of wisdom. Please keep making them. Thank you! ~varda
These videos are a true pearls of wisdom. Please keep making them. Thank you! ~varda
I find this video very touching and a great reminder that every moment we have a choice on how to live our lives and that choice counts. Keep making these valuable pearls of wisdom. Thank you!
I am very impressed with your web series. You guys are doing awsome work at One Econmy. I look forward to seeing more first run web series.
Absolutely love that this episode was so “multi-generational” — seems like we see so little of these types of connections on the small screen. Prepping for such heavy news is never easy, but I’ve always been in favor of laying it out early. If one is mature enough (as this boy was) to take the news, I say go for it!
Great acting, writing on this piece.
Wonderful stuff!
I enjoyed this episode. The dialogue was real. The acting was real. Keep this series going.
Cancer affects so many families, so it is important to talk about these issues while we’re all still around. It’s a part of life and family, and I thank this website for helping families and encouraging people to have these conversations.
Provacative dialogue from Nana, love it. Makes you think about who you are when you are “not here.”
Moved by this piece………..Kids are smarter than we give them credit for. We need to say the things we need to say to each other while we are alive. Don’t leave anything on the table…
m
That was a really touching treatment of sensitive subject matter. Appreciate the positivity considering the heavy nature of their conversation. Great message for the future. Give them something to talk about! Great acting and writing as usual! Keep it up, FSC!
A tough subject for anyone who has had to deal with it knows. Just keep your head up and honor your family. Thank you for sharing this episode about such an important and difficult topic.
I’m personally in favor of discussing illnesses/death etc at an early age. Growing up, my siblings and I attended numerous wakes/funerals starting at an early age. It was just how my folks raised us, especially in a large extended family, when someone was always “on there way out”…so to speak.
Beautiful depiction of this topic, great writing/acting.