Ken Burns’ next doc production launches site for cancer stories

Ken Burns’ 14-hour epic “The Roosevelts” just finished its week on PBS in September, but the ever-busy Burns is already moving on to his next major production.

“Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies,” isn’t being directed by Burns, but he’s serving as executive producer. Barak Goodman directed the three-part series, which is airing on PBS in March. Together, they have launched a website to preview the series and allow viewers to get a peek at the stories that will be told.

The website can be found at cancerfilms.org.

“Cancer” is based on the nonfiction book “The Emperor of All Maladies” by the oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee, and gives a “biography” of the deadly disease from its first diagnosis in ancient Egypt up through the latest struggles to understand and halt its spread.

The website encourages visitors to write their own stories and share them. Stories can be searched by Zip Code to uncover tales of cancer survivors right next door.

The producers have also included video tales of the battle against cancer that will eventually include testimonials from actress Maura Tierney, actor Terrence Howard, New York Times columnist Suleika Jaouad and Dr. Jose Baselga, the physician-in-chief at Memorial Sloan Kettering.

More films will be uploaded in the months leading up to the documentary’s debut on March 30.

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