Arthur, the world’s favorite aardvark, ranks among the TV Guide’s “50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time.” He ranks among our heroes, too. Arthur stars in the popular PBS animated series that, in a future, two- part episode, will educate children and families about living with cancer. When they learn that lunch lady Mrs. MacGrady has cancer, Arthur and his friends express their fears, confusion and denials, and find ways to help each other and Mrs. MacGrady. This sensitive portrayal along with outreach materials will help millions of children better understand how to cope with cancer in the people they care about.
WGBH Boston developed the educational materials in collaboration with the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the Marjorie E. Korff Parenting at a Challenging Time (PACT) Program at Mass General Cancer Center. The episode will include a segment filmed at the Mason-Rice Elementary School in Newton. In this episode, beloved principal Mark Springer, who in 2007 was treated for lymphoma at Mass General, talks with students about his and their experiences during his treatment and recovery.
