Starfish Audio Recording

By Judith Johnson
Developed in partnership with the Association of Medical Research Charities
Supported by the Wellcome Trust and Central YMCA

Synopsis

Set in a small Northern town. Saira, a young doctor, comes back to practise in her father’s old surgery following his death. At the centre of the story is bright, kind, 20-something Michael, a young teacher who develops variant CJD. The play charts the diagnosis, the disease, and the heartbreak that follows for those around him. Meanwhile, encouraged by Michael, Shannon, one of his students, begins to fight her Social Phobia through an online existence in Second Life which helps her to grow more confident. She continues, however, to struggle in the real world. Could a properly managed trial in a virtual world equip her with the resilience she needs to face her fears?

Advisory Board

Sir Iain Chalmers, Editor, James Lind Library;
Professor Janet Darbyshire, Joint Director of the UK Clinical Research Network;
Lester Firkins, Employed by the Department of Health and the Medical Research Council as a lay representative for various areas of concern;
David Kaskel, CEO and Managing Director, Languagelab.com;
Professor Max Parmar, Joint Director of the UK Clinical Research Network, Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit, Associate Director of the National Cancer Research Network;
Dr Sophie Petit-Zeman, Head of External Relations, Association of Medical Research Charities;
Dr David Tovey, Editorial Director, BMJ Knowledge;
Professor Simon Wessely, MD FMedSci, Professor of Epidemiological and Liaison Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at King’s and Maudsley Hospitals.

Recording

Download

Download and listen to the broadcast standard audio adaptation of Starfish on your computer or MP3 player.