Monday’s episode: The search for a cure plus, little Olivia Blair who, at 14 months, was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which spreads to her brain and spinal column. The film follows her as she and her parents struggle with the many hardships and decisions foisted upon a cancer patient. She remains in full remission a year after her diagnosis, but is still on her journey to finish her three-year treatment plan. Also featured: Sidney Farber, who, defying conventional wisdom in the late 1940s, introduces the modern era of chemotherapy, and his full-scale national “war on cancer.” 

Tune in to Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies, 3-part documentary
Airing on PBS, 9 – 11 p.m. (Check your local listings)
Monday, March 30 – Magic Bullets
Tuesday, March 31 – The Blind Men and the Elephant
Wednesday, April 1 – Finding the Achilles Heel

This three-part film tells the comprehensive story of cancer, from its first documented appearances to the modern-day fight for a cure. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Siddhartha Mukherjee, Ken Burns’ film weaves together a captivating historical narrative with intimate stories about contemporary patients, and an investigation into the latest scientific breakthroughs that may bring a cure within reach.

Learn more at www.pbs.org. 

Watch Katie Couric interview Mukherjee and Burns on Yahoo News.