Skip to main content
Back to Show
PBS News Hour

Amid death’s throes, young doctor examines life for meaning

By age 36, neurosurgeon Paul Kalanithi had earned five degrees across various fields and was at the end of a residency at Stanford. Then he was diagnosed with lung cancer, a disease that killed him 22 months later. Facing death, he wrote “When Breath Becomes Air,” a memoir of his search for meaning in his last days. His widow, Lucy Kalanithi, joins Jeffrey Brown to discuss the book.

Support Provided By
Season
November 26, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 26, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 25, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 25, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 24, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 24, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 23, 2025 - PBS News Weekend full episode
26:45
November 23, 2025 - PBS News Weekend full episode
November 22, 2025 - PBS News Weekend full episode
26:45
November 22, 2025 - PBS News Weekend full episode
November 21, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 21, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 20, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 20, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 19, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 19, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 18, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 18, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 17, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
November 17, 2025 - PBS News Hour full episode
November 16, 2025 - PBS News Weekend full episode
26:31
November 16, 2025 - PBS News Weekend full episode
November 15, 2025 - PBS News Weekend full episode
26:46
November 15, 2025 - PBS News Weekend full episode
Active loading indicator