Patch Adams

Production and year: USA 1998 Genre: Tragicomedy Cast: Robin Williams, Philip Seymour, Monica Potter Medical themes: medical student, laughter therapy, an interesting approach to patients Description: This is an authentic, funny, sometimes touching, and suspenseful story about the life of Dr. Hunter Campbell 'Patch' Adams, founder of the 'Gesundheit! Institute.' The film is based on the book 'Gesundheit: Good Health Is a Laughing Matter' by Patch Adams and Maureen Mylander. After a failed suicide attempt and a stay in a psychiatric hospital, Patch decides to become a doctor who brings joy, smiles, and hope to his patients. He begins medical school. He defies the prevailing tendency to treat patients merely as interesting cases, disregarding their feelings. In doing so, he breaks many rigid and unnecessary rules... A few quotes from the film: You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you’ll win, no matter what the outcome. [You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I guarantee you, you’ll win, no matter how the disease ends.] Our job is improving the quality of life, not just delaying death. [Our job is improving the quality of life, not just delaying death.]