EDUCATION OF DEE DEE RICKS, THE (TV)
Summary
A documentary film about the effects of breast cancer on a woman's life, and how she decides to help less fortunate breast cancer victims. Dee Dee Ricks, a recruiter for the hedge fund industry, is diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at age 39. Born in the South to a poor family, Dee Dee worked her way up to a cushy lifestyle, living as a divorced single mother of two young boys in a $14 million penthouse apartment. She decides to document her experiences with cancer so that if she dies, her sons will have something to remember her by. She opts to get a double mastectomy before her cancer spreads too far. Before her surgery she takes the time to examine her breasts, wanting to remember how her body was before cancer and realizing that her self-professed "vanity" is quickly becoming irrelevant. Dee Dee undergoes her surgery, opting for implants, and is released from the hospital two days later. Reuniting with her sons, she shows them the solution bags attached to her chest. Upon seeing her lack of breasts, Dee Dee becomes highly emotional. One month later her medical bills arrive and the cost is high. Dee Dee has enough money to cover her expenses, but she starts to wonder about women who are either uninsured or too poor to pay the cost of treatment. She meets with less fortunate mothers dealing with breast cancer and upon hearing about the difficulties in their lives feels compelled to help them. She meets with Dr. Harold Freeman, former President of the American Cancer Society and head of a clinic in Harlem providing care for poor and uninsured women with breast cancer. He and Dee Dee have a conversation about the plight of poor women with breast cancer and about his work in Harlem. He calls the treatment of the uninsured a "medical and moral problem." When Dee Dee learns that Dr. Freeman's clinic will receive a donation $2.5 million if he can raise that much himself, Dee Dee promises to raise that money for him. Dr. Freeman is stunned at Dee Dee's offer. She says her promise was not premeditated and feels as though she now has a "purpose." One patient at Freeman's clinic is Cynthia Dodson, a woman diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer at age 41. She recounts her diagnosis and not having the means to pay for treatment. She also recounts the crucial role Dr. Freeman and his clinic played in helping her. Meanwhile, Dee Dee hopes to implement the "navigation" system at Dr. Freeman's clinic, providing help in getting insurance for breast cancer victims, on a nationwide level. To that end, she accumulates a great deal of knowledge about the process and works to contact others who could offer assistance. Five weeks after her surgery, Dee Dee goes to find out about her treatment regimen. She shops for hats to cover her impending hair loss and examines her breast implants, seemingly keeping in good humor about the whole situation. She discovers she will require eight chemotherapy treatments, much to her displeasure. She visits a wigmaker and has a fitting session about covering her soon-to-be bald head. She discusses the issue of wearing it to bed with him. Dee Dee plans a fundraising dinner with Dr. Freeman, hoping to use some of her billionaire contacts in order to get the money for the clinic. She confides that she is using the fundraiser as a distraction from the issues surrounding her treatment and her condition. She exercises to prevent a loss of muscle mass brought on by chemotherapy. One week later, Dee Dee goes to attend her first chemotherapy session, feeling scared that her appearance and her ability to care for her sons will be affected. She emerges from the session apparently feeling fine. Two weeks later her hair starts to fall out and after three chemotherapy sessions she is starting to feel worn out. Dee Dee decides to meet Cynthia out of a desire to get to know the sort of woman that she's raising money to help. Dee Dee notes that she still feels vain about her appearance, refusing to go anywhere without her wig. Cynthia and Dee Dee quickly strike a rapport with each other, talking about their hair loss and their issues with cancer. Dee Dee finds out that Cynthia was hired onto her receptionist job as an outside contractor, thus denying her health insurance. Both share similar attitudes about refusing to let cancer "win;" Cynthia notes the importance of prayer in her fight against cancer. Cynthia serves as an inspiration for Dee Dee; she calls Cynthia "much stronger than me." Dee Dee's views on her "vanity issues" are changed due to her meeting with Cynthia; she gets her wig altered to more closely resemble her real hair, and opts to shave her remaining hair off in emulation of Cynthia. Dee Dee soon becomes overwhelmed by juggling all of her responsibilities, including the fundraising dinner, her children, and her chemotherapy. Cynthia completes a chemotherapy session and meets with her doctor. She feels optimistic about her progress and wants to return to her job. Dee Dee works tirelessly on the fundraising dinner and after some difficulties manages to get enough people to attend. The dinner manages to raise $800,000. Dee Dee soon finds herself arguing with her health insurance officials; it turns out her insurance does not cover nearly as much as she thought it would, forcing her to pay more bills out of her own pocket. She wants to return to work so she can get more income and notes that chemotherapy forced her to "prioritize" her life. She has not let her sons know about all the financial problems she's suffering, as she wants to keep them happy. Cynthia continues her treatments and her optimism is unfailing, noting that she "needs to stop being scared." She wants to return to her job and go back to school; she always had a dream of becoming a nurse. Cynthia feels as though she's discovered previously unknown strength about her. Six months after Dee Dee's surgery, she receives artificial nipples on her implants. She notes that her new breasts have cost her approximately $35,000, and the insurance company will undoubtedly argue with her about them. One month later, Dee Dee goes to the Harlem clinic to have Dr. Freeman administer her final chemotherapy treatment. She makes an occasion of it, including wine, a limousine, and inviting her friends along with her. Cynthia greets her at the clinic, and she and Dr. Freeman join in the festivities. They talk about their experiences and Dee Dee calls Cynthia "family." Cynthia reveals that her recent biopsy showed she had some spots on her liver, indicating her cancer might be spreading. Everyone shares a toast to Dee Dee's final treatment; she promises Cynthia that she'll be there for her no matter what. Five months later, Dee Dee and Cynthia talk on Valentine's Day. Cynthia's cancer metastasized and she is undertaking intravenous chemotherapy. Dee Dee explains that Cynthia's body developed immunity to the chemotherapy pills and arranges for Cynthia to be transferred to a different hospital specializing in cancer treatment. It turns out she had a tumor so large it was blocking her esophagus and preventing her from eating. Dee Dee serves as Cynthia's healthcare proxy and can make decisions for her if she becomes incapacitated. She is determined to help Cynthia in any way she can, saying that she loves her. One month later, Cynthia dies from her cancer at age 44. Dee Dee recounts the last time she saw Cynthia. She maintains that Cynthia died because the hospital was unwilling to treat an uninsured patient. She is devastated by the loss and holds an awards dinner in honor of Cynthia. Echoing Dr. Freeman's sentiments, she calls the problem of a lack of treatment for the uninsured a moral problem. Dee Dee moves out of her apartment, since she cannot keep up payments due to her new focus on helping cancer victims. She notes that before her diagnosis she lived in a "warped" material world, but that she realizes that helping others and spending time with her family is more important than material wealth. The film's epilogue states that she is continuing her work alongside Dr. Freeman.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: October 27, 2011
- RUNNING TIME: 1:11:52
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 106819
- GENRE: Public affairs/documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Public affairs/documentaries
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jane Rosenthal … Executive Producer
- Sheila Nevins … Executive Producer
- Lisa R. Cohen … Producer
- Jeca Taudte … Associate Producer
- Sara Bernstein … Supervising Producer
- Laurie Fabiano … Consulting Producer
- Perri Peltz … Director
- Michael Bacon … Music by
- Dee Dee Ricks … Cast
- Randy Schreck … Cast
- Harold Freeman … Cast
- Cynthia Dodson … Cast
- Hugh Dodson … Cast
- Jen Mobley … Cast
- Raffaele Mollica … Cast