Lorenzo's Oil

Even though, Susan Sarandon is the only actress that I can identify in the movie, Lorenzo’s oil, I could consider the movie to be interesting. This time, the movie caught my interest not because of the blaring special effects and not because of the impeccable cast performance. It is the movie’s message that makes Lorenzo’s Oil worthy to be included in my personal watch list.

The story revolves around a seemingly ordinary family – the Odone family – that made an extraordinary contribution in the medical field. Lorenzo, the son, exhibited abnormalities at the age of 7. Strange mental phenomena began to occur. The family was brokenhearted when they learned Lorenzo was suffering from a very rare disease called ALD - adrenoleukodystrophy.

What is ALD? It is a progressive degenerative myelin disorder, meaning that myelin, the "insulation" around nerves, breaks down over time. Without myelin, nerves can't function normally, or at all. Unfortunately, the body can't grow replacement myelin, so the disorder is progressive--it gets worse over time (Kugler, 2006).

In the movie, medical experts are skeptics about the disease. They said that Lorenzo will not survive until the age of 8. However, the Augusto and Michaela Odone did not give up in seeking for their own cure. They spent time in the library finding researchers related to the disease. It was heart wrenching at first that in most studies, ALD patients did not survive. But in the end, they finally came up with a research suggesting some changes in the patient’s diet including introducing a certain kind of oil in the diet. Thus, the title is Lorenzo’s Oil.

The movie clearly highlights the importance of medical research as well as the correct attitude that goes with it. Some students hate research because it’s tedious, time consuming and expensive. This movie, however, clearly presents the occurring benefits of research especially in medicine. It is important to emphasize in research class that results of research are not merely for the sake of passing the course or for gaining a scholarship. It is about adding new knowledge to make our life better or even to save lives. That is why, it is also important to note that researches published in journals must be checked for validity. It is important to verify whether the facts presented in journals conform with reality or else some people will be deceived. How lucky the Odones are that they have encountered a reliable research result that they effectively replicated for the benefit of Lorenzo.

Furthermore, the movie also gives us the reason to value the seemingly small gifts given to us by God. There are times when we use our tongue to slander or our hands to hurt other people. But when we recall what happened to the speech and limbs of Lorenzo, we can’t help but value the power of our words and the abilities of our hands. Thus, we could not think of using our faculties for evil purpose. During those times when we feel depressed and oppressed, we should be thankful that God has been so good to us for giving us the small significant gifts (that we should not take for granted). When we complain about our imperfections, it is important to recall that we are at least not suffering from a dreadful disease.

I am also touched by the unconditional love shown by the Odones to Lorenzo. Despite Lorenzo’s disease, the Odones stood firm with their family values. They continue to hold on for the survival of their son. Even if ALD disrupt their everyday lives, they did not consider this as a hindrance to nurture Lorenzo with their unconditional love.

What is also striking about the story is that it is based on true events. In fact the real life Lorenzo Odone just died on May 30, 2008 at the age of 30! Lorenzo’s oil has also found its way in mainstream medicine in curing ALD. It has profound benefits especially for those who have taken medication before they have shown ALD symptoms (Concar, 2002).

Overall, the movie may not be appealing to some young viewers who are used to like movies at face value only. However, it is a vital teaching tool especially in Biology and in Research. It is also an inspiration for those who seek for truth amid insults and skepticism.




References:
Concar, D. (2002). Lorenzo’s Oil finally proven to work. Retrieved October 2,
2008 from http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn2851.

Kugler, M. (2006). ALD and Lorenzo's Oil. Retrieved October 1, 2008 from
http://rarediseases.about.com/cs/ald/a/041301.htm.