Where Science meets Reality TV

Where Science meets Reality TV

Bench to Bedsidetm is a new television series produced by FBR Media that tells the inspirational stories of people and animals living with serious illnesses and the incredible biomedical research that could save their lives.

Filmed documentary-style, Bench to Bedsidetm is about true stories, real diseases and high stakes. It is the riveting place where science meets reality TV.

Many television shows focus on compelling human interest stories, but Bench to Bedsidetm is radically different. It is the only scientific and medical TV series that takes viewers straight inside biomedical research labs to showcase cutting-edge research breakthroughs that could save the lives of millions of people and animals worldwide.

No other show on television is featuring real research in actual science labs. The first season of 12 23-minute episodes is now available for national and international licensing.

Real research.Real breakthroughs.

Real inspiration.

Real people.

Real illness.

FBR MEDIA has earned 12 Telly® Awards and 4 Emmy® nominations for Bench to Bedside™ (certain episodes have aired as one-offs in their local markets to correlate with promotional events).

FBR Media has filmed Bench to Bedside™ episodes in partnership with Duke University, University of Notre Dame, The Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation, University of Minnesota, Reeve-Irvine Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston Zoo, Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, University of Louisville, University of California Los Angeles, Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, UNC Chapel Hill, American Red Cross, Carolina Hurricanes, Pulmonary Hypertension Association, Rhode Island VA Hospital, Children’s Hospital Boston, Texas A&M, Rice University and Walter Reed.

Its latest episode is about incredible prosthetics research and stars actor Robert David Hall, who plays Dr. Albert Robbins on the Emmy®-nominated CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Bench to Bedside™ will air nationally in 2013.

The Bench to Bedside™ series is produced at a fraction of the cost of other unscripted television shows and FBR Media is the only production company with direct access to the biomedical research industry.

PAul McKEllIPs is president of FBR Media and creator of Bench to Bedside™. He has written, directed and produced three motion pictures and numerous television shows as well as family programming with NFL Hall of Famer and former Green Bay Packers legend, the late Reggie White. McKellips directed and produced the Jonathan Winters Entertainment Show and the Pat Morita Show for SpectraVision. He has earned 26 Telly Awards and three Emmy® nominations for Bench to Bedside™. A native of Neenah, Wisconsin, McKellips served in Iraq as a public affairs broadcaster and was embedded with four Iraqi journalists at a remote combat outpost in the volatile Diyala Province during the height of “the surge.” At the invitation of General David H. Petraeus, McKellips served as a media trainer to the Afghan National Army and produced a documentary film in Pashtu on Afghan culture that was broadcast nationally in Afghanistan in 2011. He is also the co-founder of No Greater Sacrifice, a charity that provides college scholarship money to the children of fallen and wounded U.S. soldiers.

lIZ HODGE is vice president of FBR Media and director/producer of Bench to Bedside.™ Hodge oversees all phases of production for Bench to Bedside™ and has been nominated for two Emmy® Awards and 10 Telly Awards for her work as director and producer of the series. She is also an accomplished public relations practitioner who has worked with universities, companies, nonprofits and asso-ciations in both the U.S. and in Europe to develop and execute public relations and strategic communications campaigns. Hodge earned her master’s in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University.

ROBERT NEWTON is the director of graphics at FBR Media and has been creating high-end computer graphics and special effects for national broad-cast television programs for Discovery Channel and its affiliated networks for more than12 years. He also creates scientific and technical animations for the Chemical Safety & Hazard Board in Washington and pre-visualizations for Microtechnology Office of DARPA for the Defense Department.

sTEVE DORsT is the director of photography and editor for FBR Media. Dorst is an Emmy®-nominated editor and cameraman, and has produced and direct-ed two critically acclaimed films, which are currently airing worldwide on television and in film festivals. Dorst, who speaks Spanish, French and Italian fluently, has led numerous international field production teams on five conti-nents. Dorst earned his master’s degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins University.

EPIsODE 1: J EN’s sTORy

Jen is a real biomedical researcher, who specializes in breast cancer research, and is now battling the disease herself – for a second time. The pilot episode “Jen’s Story” gives viewers an inside look at Jen’s typical day: from investigating new breast cancer drugs to receiving her own chemotherapy in the hospital. “Jen’s Story” is an emotional roller coaster that captivates viewers and offers hope that a cure for breast cancer will soon be found to save Jen and millions of other women facing this devastating cancer.

TRT: 25:08

FEATuRING: Duke University

FAcTs:

> In the U.S. alone, 227,000 women will develop breast cancer this year.

> There are 40,000 deaths from breast cancer in the U.S. annually.

> There are 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.

Source: American Cancer Society

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EPIsODE 2: K E ATO N A N D R I l E y

How does a hard-working Indiana family cope when 3 of their 4 young children are diagnosed with a rare and fatal genetic disease? The Smiths have 4 children, 3 of whom were born with Niemann-Pick Type C (NP-C). NP-C is a fatal neuro-degenerative disease that causes a child’s nervous system to shut down. There is currently no approved treatment for the disease and it typically will take the life of a child before age 20. In this episode, viewers walk in the Smiths’ shoes for a “day in the life” of Riley (11) and Keaton (9), both of whom are living with, and dying from, NP-C. Biomedical research scientists and students at the University of Notre Dame havebecome the “Fighting Irish” for this orphan disease. Dr. Kasturi Haldar and Dr. Forbes Porter, along with Cindy Parseghian, the daughter-in-law of legendary Notre Dame football coach Ara Parseghian and mother of 3 children who died from NP-C, have joined forces to ultimatelyfind a cure for children dying from NP-C.

TRT: 28:15

FEATuRING: University of Notre Dame, Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation, National Institutes of Health

FAcTs:

> NP-C is always fatal; with no approved treatment for this horrible neurological disorder.

> Children with NP-C usually die before reaching age 20.

Source: National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation

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EPIsODE 3: DA KOTA ’ s B R A I N

When 10-year-old Dakota, a rescue dog, is diagnosed with brain cancer his owner, Dee Mueller, is devastated. Determined to keep Dakota alive, Dee brings Dakota to Dr. John Ohlfest and Dr. Elizabeth Pluhar who have formed a scientist-veterinary team and set out on a mission to cure the deadliest forms of brain cancer that are killing both people and companion pets, like Dakota. In this inspiring episode, viewers are taken deep inside University of Minnesota labs where Ohlfest and Pluhar have discovered, what could be, a viable cure for certain brain cancers. Their revolutionary brain tumor vaccine is keeping dogs with brain cancer alive and they hope it can do the same for people. The vaccine works by training the immune system to recognize brain cancer and kill it. Dogs, like Dakota, that have received the treatment are living happy and active lives for years to come, instead of dying painful deaths in a matter of months.

TRT: 28:30

FEATuRING: University of Minnesota

FAcTs:

> Dogs and people get the same types of brain cancer.

> Dogs with brain cancer die in a matter of months, but new vaccines are keeping them alive for years.

> Brain cancer research is helping both dogs and people with deadly brain cancers.

Source: University of Minnesota

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EPIsODE 4: TO By ’ s s TO Ry

“Toby’s Story” is a spectacular account of a young musician living with a spinal cord injury and how scientists are working to give him back his independence. After a diving accident, Toby Forrest – an adventurous and active young man – became paralyzed from the neck down. This episode tells the true story of how Toby thrives as a successful musician, gives back to others and lives life with hope and optimism despite his disa-bility. With this hopeful story of human triumph over tragedy, “Toby’s Story” shows viewers how dedicated scientists are developing incredible, cutting-edge treatments to help those living with spinal cord injuries.

TRT: 27:02

FEATuRING: Reeve-Irvine Research Center

FAcTs:

> About 2 percent of the U.S. population (5.6 million people) is affected by paralysis.

> 1.3 million people in the U.S. are paralyzed as the result of a spinal-cord injury.

Source: Reeve-Irvine Research Center

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EPIsODE 5: H E R D I N G F O R A c u R E

“Herding for a Cure” tells the incredible story of an unprecedented partnership that is saving baby Asian elephants from a deadly killer. In this episode, viewers see firsthand how revolutionary research at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) is helping juvenile Asian elephants, which are dying from a virus called elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV). Young Asian elephants, both in the wild and in captivity, are very susceptible to contracting this deadly virus, which can kill an animal within 24 hours. A scientific partnership between BCM and the Houston Zoo is not only helping baby elephants in zoos, but it could also have huge implications for the entire Asian elephant population. Because Asian elephants are an endangered species, this research could ultimately save them from extinction.

TRT: 26:22

FEATuRING: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston Zoo, Smithsonian’s National Zoo

FAcTs:

> Baby Asian elephants in both captivity and the wild are at risk of dying from EEHV.

> A baby elephant can die from EEHV within 24 hours.

> Asian elephants are an endangered species.

Source: Smithsonian’s National Zoo

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EPIsODE 6: J A N N E ’ s N E x T s T E P

Janne Kouri was a celebrated football player at Georgetown University. After graduation, Janne moved to Los Angeles where he met the love of his life, Susan, and started a success-ful online marketing business. Life couldn’t have been better for Janne; then suddenly everything changed. He suffered a tragic diving accident that nearly cost him his life. Janne was devastated when doctors told him he was now a quadriplegic and would never walk again. Determined to prove them wrong, he underwent an experimental activity-based rehabilitation treatment called Locomotor Training. Locomotor Training re-teaches the spinal cord how to control motor functions, like walking, through repetitive motion. After months of intensive training, Janne began to regain function in his feet, then in his legs, and today Janne can take steps with a walker. Because Locomotor Training was not available outside the hospital, Janne and Susan (now his wife) started NextStep Fitness, a nonprofit organization that provides Locomotor Training to people with spinal cord injuries in a non-hospital setting. Janne is now helping hundreds of others living with spinal cord injuries overcome their disabilities, and even walk again.

TRT: 26:01

FEATuRING: University of Louisville, UCLA, The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation

FAcTs:

> Nearly 1 in 50 people – approximately 6 million – are living with paralysis.

> That’s the same number of people as the combined populations of Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

> 54% of those paralyzed are males; 46% are females.

> Males are nearly twice as likely (1.77) to incur a spinal cord injury as females.

Source: Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation

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EPIsODE 7: Dy l A N ’ s G I F T

“Dylan’s Gift” is a poignant and compelling account of the difficult choice a couple makes when their worst nightmare becomes a reality. When their 5-year-old son, Dylan, is diag-nosed with a rare and fatal brain tumor and given just 6 months to live, Danah and John Jewett become determined to fight the deadly disease, called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). When their son’s life is tragically cut short, they decide to donate Dylan’s tumor to research. This generous gift has helped scientists create the first-ever mouse model of DIPG. The DIPG mouse model is now shedding light on this devastating disease and helping scientists discover new treatments and a potential cure to help other children, like Charlie Waller – a 3-year-old who is currently battling DIPG. Dr. Michelle Monje, a beau-tiful and talented neuro-oncologist at Stanford University, is working tirelessly to find the answers and, thanks to Dylan’s gift, she is making great strides in the race for a DIPG cure. But will Dylan’s gift be in time to save Charlie?

TRT: 25:17

FEATuRING: Stanford University School of Medicine

FAcTs:

> The median overall survival of children diagnosed with DIPG is approximately 9 months.

> The 1 and 2 year survival rates are approximately 30% and less than 10%, respectively.

> These statistics make DIPG one of the most devastating pediatric malignancies.

Source: Dr. David N. Korones

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EPIsODE 8: l Au R A ’ s s TO Ry

About 26 million people in the United States are living with diabetes, and millions more have undiagnosed and pre-diabetes. This epidemic will bankrupt our healthcare system if more treatments, discoveries and cures are not developed in the coming years. “Laura’s Story” showcases research happening right now at Vanderbilt University that could be a game-changer in the diabetes epidemic. Viewers meet Laura: a young woman living in Nashville, TN, who has battled serious health problems her entire life. At age seven, Laura discovered she had type 1 diabetes and her world was turned upside down. Even though Laura has been committed to living a healthy lifestyle, complications arise and she must make hard decisions to stay alive. “Laura’s Story” gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at Vanderbilt’s groundbreaking diabetes research that could one day lead to a cure for diabetes – something for which Laura and hundreds of millions of others are desperate.

TRT: 23:34

FEATuRING: Vanderbilt University

FAcTs:

> 26 million children and adults in the United States – 8.3% of the population – have diabetes.

> 7 million Americans have diabetes, but are undiagnosed.

> 79 million people in the U.S. are pre-diabetic.

Source: American Diabetes Association

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EPIsODE 9: l I V I yA ’ s s TO Ry

What causes a 6-year-old girl’s body to start attacking itself out of the blue? That question and more are raised in “Liviya’s Story” – the true account of a North Carolina girl battling a rare and potentially fatal blood disease called aplastic anemia. Liviya was struck suddenly with aplastic anemia and nearly died. But thanks to quick-thinking UNC Chapel Hill physicians who were able to quickly diagnosis and treat her, Liviya survived. The cause of aplastic anemia is still a mystery, and while Liviya is currently stable, she’s not out of the woods yet – with only a 50/50 chance of long-term survival. Researchers are working tirelessly to find better treatments and answers for Liviya and others living with this rare and deadly blood disorder.

TRT: 27:53

FEATuRING: UNC Chapel Hill, the National Institutes of Health, American Red Cross and Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes

FAcTs:

> Doctors do not know what causes aplastic anemia in young children.

> Current treatments for aplastic anemia come from horse antibodies.

Source: National Heart Lung and Blood Institute at NIH

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EPIsODE 10: E M M A ’ s s TO Ry

Imagine you’re a scientist who has spent her entire career working to cure fatal lung diseases and suddenly your own 5-year-old daughter is diagnosed with one of the worst lung diseases imaginable. That is the reality for Dr. Beth Harrington, who discovered her daughter Emma was suffering from pulmonary hypertension, a fatal and incurable lung disease. This episode takes viewers inside the lab where Beth and her colleagues are desperately searching for cures to help Emma, whose life desperately hangs in the balance. Viewers will be captivated by the bravery and strength of Emma, a beautiful and vivacious child, who brings joy and light to everyone around her – even as she fights the battle for her life.

TRT: 23:02

FEATuRING: Brown University, Rhode Island VA Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, Pulmonary Hypertension Association, Children’s Museum Boston

FAcTs:

> Pulmonary hypertension is high blood pressure in the lungs that eventually leads to heart failure.

> There is no cure for pulmonary hypertension.

Source: Pulmonary Hypertension Association

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EPIsODE 11: DAV I D ’ s s TO Ry

There are mere seconds left in the fourth quarter and it’s a tie game. Rudder High School is depending on its star quarterback David Wilganowski to win the biggest game of the football season. Suddenly, David suffers a cardiac arrest on the field and the trainers and team doctor rush to resuscitate him. David’s miraculous survival and mysterious diagnosis is chronicled in this heart-warming account of a young man who had everything - including a full football scholarship to Rice University – and who now must learn to cope on the side-lines.

TRT: 23:23

FEATuRING: Rice University, Texas A&M University, Scott & White Healthcare

FAcTs:

> Athletes can die on the field suddenly for many reasons, including Long QT Syndrome.

> Long QT Syndrome is an electrical abnormality in the heart, usually caused by a genetic mutation.

> Long QT Syndrome affects 1 in 5,000 people.

Source: Scott & White Healthcare

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EPIsODE 12: RO B E RT DAV I D H A l l

You may know him as Dr. Albert Robbins, the coroner from CBS’ hit series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. But did you know Robert David Hall has been living as a double-amputee for more than 30 years? Hall had both legs amputated after suffering burns over 65% of his body, the result of his car being crushed by an 18-wheeler in 1978. In this episode, viewers get VIP access to a typical day for Hall: from working out to getting fit for new prosthetics. Viewers will also hear from four-time Paralympian, Brian Frasure, about the latest prosthetics technology.

TRT: 23:30

FEATuRING: Robert David Hall (CSI), Brian Frasure (Paralympian, iWalk)

FAcTs:

> Today, there are 1.7 million Americans living with lost limbs.

> More than 185,000 new amputations are performed each year in the U.S. as a result of trauma, infection, diabetes, cancer and other diseases.

> 54% of those paralyzed are males; 46% are females.

Source: Amputee Coalition’s National Limb Loss Information Center

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TEcHNIcAl sPEcIFIcATIONs:

Sony EX1, Sony EX31080p24Final Cut Pro Closed captionedSeparate tracks for music and effects

PlEAsE cONTAcT:

Liz HodgeDirector/ProducerFBR Media(+1) 202.642.4549 (mobile)(+1) 202.457.0654 (office)