By Nick Olszyk, Catholic World Report, March 31, 2025
Nick Olszyk teaches theology at Marist Catholic High School in Eugene, Oregon. He was raised on bad science fiction movies, jelly beans, and TV shows that make fun of bad science fiction movies. Visit him online and listen to his podcast at “Catholic Cinema Crusade”.
Audrey’s Children tells the inspiring story of Dr. Audrey Evans, whose love for children and practicing medicine were rooted in a deep belief in God.
MPAA Rating: PG
Reel Rating: 3.5 out of 5 reels
Cancer is a horrible, traitorous disease in which cells are warped and attack the body they serve. This is always tragic, but even more egregious in children who have just started their lives. When British-born American pediatric oncologist Dr. Audrey Evans (Natalie Dormer) began her practice in 1969 at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), children had a 10% survival rate. By her death in 2022, that rate had risen to 80%, due significantly to her efforts. Audrey’s Children tells her amazing story of determination, endurance, and love that brought comfort and healing to untold numbers.
When Evans is appointed the director of oncology at CHOP, she is already a well-established researcher and physician for over a decade, but is still brimming with new ideas and enthusiasm. At the time, the most common practice was to use a “light touch” with chemotherapy and radiation to minimize pain in young bodies. Evans argues for a more aggressive approach that increases the dosage but also localizes and individualizes treatment. To this end, she teams up with Dr. Dan D’Angio (Jimmi Simpson), a shy but talented colleague, to work through mountains of previously unexamined data to back up her theory. …
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