Look for Me Here: 299 Days in the Life of Nora Lenihan

In awarding a Peabody to Look for Me Here: 299 Days in the Life of Nora Lenihan, the Peabody Board recognizes excellence in regional cable news for the first time. New England Cable News brilliantly captured and personalized the hospice experience of one woman, Nora Lenihan, through the efforts of executive producer/writer Tom Melville, producer/writer Florence Del Santo, writer Judy Forman, videographer Thad Peterson and still photographer Michele McDonald. They captured an intense, intimate portrait of a woman facing her own death with nobility, courage, grace and humor. Forty-year old Ms. Lenihan’s losing battle with breast cancer vividly illustrates how the hospice program cares for the terminally ill and makes living one’s final days both comfortable, and somehow joyous. This powerful hour of television blends sterling videography with clear, concise writing and reporting, producing a compelling documentary of powerful relevance to all of us who will ultimately face the issues of death and dying. The program is also marked by a strong sense of place: its rootedness in the seashore of northern New England, which means so much to Ms. Lenihan. This is a tribute to the power of localism, which broadcast outlets began, and is now extended by the development of regional cable news. For producing an eloquent, touching and revealing testimony of the dignity and sensitivity of hospice care, a Peabody Award to New England Cable News for Look for Me Here: 299 Days in the Life of Nora Lenihan.