1. Movie Character
Presentation
My Sister’s Keeper
Kate
a patient of
promyelocytic leukemia

2. •
Overview
My Sister’s keeper is film about a couple whose lives are centered around
their daughter Kate (patient of promyelocytic leukemia).
• This presentation focuses on Kate Fitzgerald’s Character.
• Introduction and overview of Kate Fitzgerald
• Assessment using Gordon’s Functional Health patterns
• Personal assessment of Kate
• Cultural, geographic, religious, ethnic or spiritual considerations
• Nursing Diagnosis
• Normal and Abnormal health patterns
• Nursing interventions
• Community Resources

3. Background of Movie and Character
•My Sister’s Keeper is a film about a couple whose lives are centered around their daughter Kate
•From a young age, Kate was diagnosed with leukemia and doctors gave her little time to live.
•Her parents undertake a decision to duplicate Kate’s chromosomes by genetically conceiving
another child (Anna) in order to use her anatomy to save Kate’s life.
•Anna, finds out about her conception, and later files a lawsuit against her own parents. Anna
claims the lawsuit is for her ‘right to life’ and to grant her the decision-making privilege
regarding what to do with her own body. This is what she has viewers believing until we later
find out that the actual motivation behind the lawsuit was because Kate decides to end her life
and put an end to her suffering.
•The family becomes torn between the tension of the lawsuit and struggling to keep Kate ‘happy’
and alive. (CMN4100, 2010).
Kate Fitzgerald
• Is a 16year old diagnosed with leukemia at age 2
• Lives with father, mother a brother and a sister
• She is progressively getting weaker and treatments are no longer
effective.
• Has renal kidney failure, is receiving hemodialysis and getting
chemotherapy treatment for leukemia .
• Has a short love affair with a fellow patient Taylor

4. •
Functional Health Pattern Assessment
Health Perception/Health Management
-Kate is well aware of the disease
-Follows the medications and advices from the doctor and family
-Kate’s sickness is covered by insurance
-Does love going to the beach but avoids sun exposure.
•
Nutrition/Metabolic
-The Family takes a lot of care and precautions regarding food since Kate has been
diagnosed by Leukemia.
-Family prepare a hygienic and organic food
•
Pattern of Elimination
-Due to Kate’s kidney failure, she gets hemodialysis treatment, she has a dialysis catheter,
so urination frequency is monitored by either the nurse or the family.
- Pattern of Bowel is not displayed in the movie.

5. Assessment Continued
•
Pattern of Activity/Exercise
-Sometimes kate is too weak and tired to do any activities, she is encouraged by the family.
-Love to go to the beach, enjoys shopping. And in one scene was with her boy friend
enjoying the date.
•
Cognitive-Perceptual Pattern
-Kate does not have any sensory deficits, reads books, listens to music
- Pain is a common factor and is managed by medication prescribed by the doctor.
-She is judgmental and wants to end her life by avoiding kidney transplant, which she know
is a temporary solution.
•
Pattern of Sleep and Rest
-Sleeps well most of the time, but some time cannot when she has blood vomiting in the
nights and pain
-Kate is encouraged by the family to take rest as much as she can.
-She takes nap during day when she feels tired.

6. Assessment Continued
•
Pattern of Self Perception and Self
Concept
-Kate is bold enough to accept the disease
and keeps smiling throughout the film
-Feels that she should not be a burden on
her sister or family anymore
•
Role/Relationship Patterns
- The family portrayed in this film is closely
bonded and also broken apart (CMN4100,
2010).
- Starts dating a fellow patient Taylor, and is
loved and encouraged by him
- Responsible as a elder sister, does not want
Anna suffer more because of her.
•
Sexuality/Reproductive Patterns
Has normal feeling of being loved, she dates
and at one point have sex with Taylor.

7. Assessment Complete
•
Pattern of Coping and Stress Tolerance
-For Kate self management is a misnomer, since her disease is actually shared by her
family. This is portrayed when Kate’s mother shaves her head in order to make her feel
‘pretty’.
- she is encouraged by her boy friend, and when he dies is supported by the family.
•
Pattern of Values and Beliefs
- Though the movie does not display any following of religion or belief, it seem that the
children have been taught from the child hood to respect, love and support each other.

8. Personal Assessment
•
•
•
•
•
Kate avoids being social, but likes to hang out with her family members
Though she is sick shows enthusiasm in dating, love, shopping
Loves her family especially her sister Anna
Wants to enjoy the remaining life, by stopping medication and going to the beach
Was depressed when she comes to know that her boyfriend had died and attempts
suicide

9. Analysis of Health Assessment
•
Normal assessment findings
-Regular teenage girl who wants to shop, go to the beach, date etc.
-She is creative, does a album of memories beautifully
-Shares personal secrets and matters with Anna
•
Abnormal or risk-based findings
-When comes to know about the death of her boyfriend attempts suicide
- day by day is getting weaker, fatigue
- There is a nose bleed due to leukemia (yahooanswers, 2008).
Additional Observations
Cultural: The family is very integrated and is ready to sacrifice themselves to save
another. Genuine support given to the family by the mother and father. Family portrays
importance of effective interpersonal interaction between family members.
Geographical : The Family lives in California in the movie (Wikipedia.org, n.d).
Religious: No religious following is shown in the move or not known
Ethnic: Caucasian or White American
Spiritual: Not shown

10. www.cancercare.org
Resources
American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org. Phone.no 1-800-227-2345
Nursing Considerations
Nursing Diagnosis
- Intense pain
- Nose bleed
- nausea due to chemotherapy

11. Health Promotion, Prevention, Maintenance
Health Promotion :Avoid high doses of radiation, avoid exposure to the chemical benzene, and
avoid smoking or second hand smoke and other tobacco use
Health Prevention: Monitor fluid intake and output, Inspection of skin /
mucous membranes for petechiae, ecchymoses area; noticed bleeding gums, blood color of rust
or vague in feces and urine, bleeding from the puncture further invasive. Implementing
measures to prevent tissue injury / bleeding (Nanda, 2011).
Health Maintenance: Anticipate need for pain relief, Respond immediately to complaint of pain,
Determine the appropriate pain relief methods. Pharmacological methods and nonpharmacological methods (Gradishar, Muzio, Filipski, & Klopp, n.d). Administer the antinausea
medications as ordered 1-24 hours before initiating chemotherapy and routinely for the
expected period of nausea and vomiting for the specific chemotherapeutic agents being
administered (Saunders, 2012)
-

12. Conclusion
My Sister’s Keeper was an effective way to portray sensitive health issues such as
patients’ rights, family support & conflict, health communication, ethics, human
rights and medical emancipation. The emotions evoked from the film allowed
viewers to reflect on their own health and think critically about the often
overlooked, yet fundamental concerns with patients and their well-being. The
principles that stem out of My Sister’s Keeper are difficult to face as they
challenge morality and humanity. The messages of this film highlight the
importance of understanding the several dimensions of hardships and struggles,
beyond illness and disease that patients must undergo.

13. References
CMN4100. (2010). A Film Analysis... My Sister's Keeper. Retrieved from
http://cmn4100msk.blogspot.in/
Gradishar, D., Muzio, L., Filipski, A., & Klopp, A. (n.d). Pain. Nursing Diagnosis Care Plan.
4ed. Retrieved from
http://www1.us.elsevierhealth.com/MERLIN/Gulanick/archive/Constructor/gulanick39.html
Nanda. (2011). Nanda Nursing Diagnosis and Interventions for Leukemia. Retrieved from
http://nursing-care-plan.blogspot.in/2011/12/2-nanda-nursing-diagnosis-and.html
Saunders. (2012). Nausea .NURSING DIAGNOSIS. Retrieved from
http://www1.us.elsevierhealth.com/SIMON/Ulrich/Constructor/diagnoses.cfm?did=61
Wikipedia.org, (n.d). My Sister's Keeper (film). Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Sister's_Keeper_(film)#Changes_from_book
yahooanswers, (2008). Why does Leukemia cause nosebleeds? Retrieved from
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081216125805AAwqqEi