May 8, 2018
From tragedy to action: Greg Price's health-care journey now a teaching tool for U91快色 med students
Kevin McGarry of Heartland as Greg Price in Falling Through The Cracks: Greg's Story.
Greg's Wings
His pursuit of treatment might have been in vain. His death will not be.
That鈥檚 the message from the family of Greg Price, whose tragic and well-documented journey through the health-care system is now the inspiration for a film that will be used as a training tool by the 91快色鈥檚 (CSM).
Falling Through The Cracks, Greg鈥檚 Story chronicles the final weeks of Greg鈥檚 life 鈥 a brief, heart-wrenching descent through medical appointments, and breakdowns in the continuity of his care, that ended with his death on May 19, 2012.
鈥淏efore Greg鈥檚 journey, we kind of assumed that while a health system has warts, it would be there for you when you really need it,鈥 says Greg鈥檚 father, Dave Price. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 a universal assumption, and that can be dangerous, and even fatal.鈥
Greg died from a blood clot three days after surgery to remove a cancerous testicle. It was the culmination of a series of delays and breakdowns in obtaining timely testing, follow-up appointments and specialist visits, all detailed by the Health Quality Council of Alberta in that made 13 recommendations for change.
Greg Price was 31 when he died, just three days after surgery to remove a cancerous testicle.
Price family
Film's origins in clinical setting
Dr. Ward Flemons, respirologist, professor in the Department of Medicine, and member of the Health, co-authored that report, and was already using Greg鈥檚 story as a teaching tool when the idea of a film came up during discussions around how best to teach teamwork in clinical settings.
Flemons met with Canadian TV writer Andrew Wreggitt and his wife, Becky, and introduced them to the Price family. Wreggitt then introduced the Price family to Heartland director Dean Bennett, and the vision for Falling Through The Cracks, Greg鈥檚 Story was born.
Wreggitt, whose body of work includes Heartland, Flashpoint and North of 60, wrote the script. Bennett directed it. It was shot in just five days over the summer on location at the Price family farm and at the CSM, with support from at the O鈥橞rien Institute and a number of CSM faculty and staff. Kevin McGarry of Heartland plays Greg Price.
"This family has really taken the high road in wanting to do something beautiful from a tragedy, and I feel even to this moment they鈥檙e honouring Greg in the best way possible, and I was thrilled to be a part of it,鈥 says Bennett, who directed the film over his holiday.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 regret for one moment having missed a holiday. This was a holiday of the heart.鈥
Leah Sarich will moderate the panel that will include Andr茅 Picard, right, at the premiere.
Opportunity to reach an even broader audience
Flemons says the real goal of the film had always been to teach students about teamwork, 鈥渂ut when we saw the quality of people on board, we all realized there was more potential here than just teaching medical students 鈥 this could engage the public, decision-makers.鈥
The Price family knew it, too. Through their not-for-profit organization established in his honour, , the family is using the film as a springboard to carry the conversation further.
On May 17, Greg鈥檚 Wings and the O鈥橞rien Institute will co-host the 91快色 premiere of the film at the Plaza Theatre, and will include two panel discussions moderated by Breakfast Television鈥檚 Leah Sarich.
Flemons, Wreggitt and Dave Price will be joined by Andr茅 Picard, health columnist with the Globe and Mail, Annamarie Fuchs, health-care consultant and patient advocate, Scott McLeod, registrar of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, and Dr. William Ghali, scientific director of the O鈥橞rien Institute.
鈥淭his is not just a movie, like any other movie,鈥 says Ghali. 鈥淕reg鈥檚 Wings and the Price family want to use this as a vehicle for education and for promoting positive change in health systems everywhere.鈥
The premiere will coincide with the launch of an online community called the a community where individuals can share information, experiences and ideas. The aim is for members 鈥 鈥渃o-Pilots鈥 鈥 to become better advocates for their own health.
The Price family believes such a community of engaged members can be a powerful catalyst for change. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want anybody else to have the same experience we did, the gaps can be closed,鈥 says Dave Price. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no big impediment to that except the will to do it. The improvements we need to institute require a commitment to safety and teamwork. That requires a fundamental change in the culture and political priority to push it in that direction.鈥
A small group of med students viewed the film for the first time at the end of October, and their reactions spoke volumes. Sarah Smith, a third-year med student at the U91快色, viewed the film before her first foray into a hospital setting. 鈥淭he whole time I was watching the video I was thinking, 鈥楾his could be me, this could be my patient,鈥欌 says Smith, who will join the panel at the premiere. 鈥淏ecause no one did anything malicious, but mistakes were obviously made.鈥
The film鈥檚 been nominated in seven categories at the Alberta Media Production Industries Association (AMPIA) Rosie Awards. The University of Toronto and other national and international organizations have expressed interest in viewing and potentially using the film in their own curricula.
To watch the trailer, .
Dr. Ward Flemons is the Quality and Safety Lead at W21C , a professor in the Department of Medicine and a member of the O鈥橞rien Institute for Public Health at the Cumming School of Medicine. He is also a medical director with the Health Quality Council of Alberta