“The Greenwoods”–Inside A New Documentary About A Family Confronting Advanced Prostate Cancer

Ten years after a metastatic prostate cancer diagnosis, Roosevelt Greenwood, 57, is living what he calls an “answered prayer.”

Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker Katerina Rosen, the film gives viewers an appreciation of what a close-knit family goes through when one amongst them faces a stage four cancer diagnosis. It also shows viewers the gratitude and strength that emerges after surviving. Originally given eighteen to twenty-four months to live with a PSA of 1,824, the film shows Roosevelt making it to family milestones–both big and small–a decade later.

“I wouldn’t say that Roosevelt is a 2.0 version of himself,” says Roosevelt’s wife, Shay Greenwood who –over the course of the film–emerges as both a partner and a pillar, anchoring the family through years of uncertainty. “You are just different after a cancer journey.”

Indeed, what unfolds in this intimate portrayal is a journey of transformation–not just for Roosevelt, nor only for Shay, but for all five of the Greenwood children whose remarkable achievements are a testament to their resilience and that answered prayer for Roosevelt who was once unsure of whether he would be alive to see his children at major milestones.

Amongst the many highlights of the last ten years since Roosevelt’s diagnosis was his son Jacob Greenwood’s graduation from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis–a distinction that requires a nomination, often from one’s congressman. For Roosevelt, a veteran, seeing his son graduate from the prestigious institution was more than just a milestone. “To get to this moment,” Roosevelt said. “It was a lot of praying.”

A throughline of the film: the Greenwood family’s faith, which through it all, has guided them through difficult times.

Roosevelt, a gifted musician, finds solace and expression through playing the organ at his church and playing Christian music with his daughter, Chandler, herself a musician and a worship leader at the family’s church. One of the film’s most powerful sequences shows Roosevelt playing the organs at church, as his wife Shay and youngest son Adam look on and reflect on what it means to see Roosevelt doing what he loves. “This is my happy place,” Roosevelt says. “Faith, family and music.”

Ultimately, this is a story about more than cancer. It is about the enduring power of family, the role of faith in navigating hardship, and the extraordinary beauty of ordinary moments

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We hope that Roosevelt’s story will offer hope to those facing advanced-stage cancer, showing that with evolving treatments and a positive mindset, life can continue in meaningful ways.

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Content independently created by SurvivorNet with support from Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp.

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