Television Academy Award Winning "MY LAST DAYS" Returns to The CW Wednesday, May 22
Inspirational Docuseries Hosted and Executive Produced by
"JANE THE VIRGIN" star Justin Baldoni
May 9, 2019 (Burbank, CA) - MY LAST DAYS, an uplifting documentary series about living an extraordinary life, told from the perspective of those who are terminally ill, will return to The CW for its fourth season for a three-night special event, Wednesday, May 22 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT), Wednesday, May 29 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT), and Wednesday, June 5 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT). Created by and featuring JANE THE VIRGIN star Justin Baldoni, the fourth season of MY LAST DAYS features the compelling stories of five courageous individuals who remind us that having a limited amount of time doesn't mean we can't make a positive impact on the world.
"I am forever changed by the stories we are telling in this cycle of MY LAST DAYS," shares Baldoni. "This incredible group of souls is unbelievably hopeful and inspiring. The gravity of the situations of each individual story in this series, balanced by their uplifting perspectives, relentless optimism, and limitless joy in the face of tremendous adversity, is something rare and magnificent to witness. With so much darkness enveloping our world, I feel grateful to introduce people who radiate so much love and light to our audience. We need it now more than ever."
This cycle includes a special round-table conversation with the cast-members and Baldoni as they watch their episodes for the first time, and explore topics such as joy, mortality, love etc.
These episodes will profile the following stories:
· Jessica Stansell-Aiyegbusi: A childhood spent in the foster care system made Jessica determined to be the parent she never had, to as many kids as she could. This meant mothering her own five biological children and serving as a mother figure to the countless kids, teens, and adults she befriended during her life. Jessica's journey took a sudden turn when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. While she underwent a double mastectomy, the cancer had already spread through much of her body. The prognosis was terminal, but facing death only strengthened Jessica's enduring message that the key to life is love.
· Travis Flores: Travis Flores is a 26-year-old actor, activist, and children's book author who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when he was four months old. Travis' family was told their baby had five years to live. But with a dedicated medical team and a positive spirit that endures today, Travis defied the odds. At age 12, he began working with illustrator Michelle Ciappa on his children's book, The Spider Who Never Gave Up. The book was published in 2004, when Travis was thirteen. To date, Travis has helped to raise over half a million dollars for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Most recently, he started the #YellowHeartSquad, a social movement and support network that uses the hashtag to connect people from around the world and help them find inner happiness.
· Chanel White: Only 19 years old, and in the midst of planning her wedding, Chanel White started noticing odd pains in her body. She shrugged them off as side effects of wedding stress, but her perfect day came and went, and her honeymoon was plagued by horrible illness. Chanel was soon diagnosed with severe scleroderma, systemic lupus, polymyositis, and mixed connective tissue disease. After years of living with an aggressive illness and eating with a feeding tube, Chanel became a candidate for a bone marrow transplant clinical trial. In 2017, she received a successful transplant. She is now enjoying her "bonus life," as Chanel and her husband refers to it. Her medical journey blog can be found at A Day In The Life of A Tube Fed Wife.
· Shannon Sylvain: After being diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer at age 31, Shannon created Brown Sugar Rehab. Through research conducted by herself and her physician, Shannon learned that many - if not all - cancers breed and flourish in sugar-rich environments. She also discovered that people of color are affected by cancer at higher rates due to decreased access to financial resources and quality doctors. Her organization promotes education on excessive sugar consumption, preventative health strategies and also aims to become a financial resource for those in need of testing.
· David Weinlick: David Weinlick and Elizabeth Runze were strangers when they said "I do" in front of thousands of shoppers - and in the national spotlight - at the Mall of America in June of 1998. The couple called it "our great love story." Before they met, David had tasked his friends and family with finding him the perfect bride. After 19 years of marriage and four children, it's obvious that Elizabeth, "Bethy," was the right choice. Sadly, this tale was in time upended by illness, after David was diagnosed with terminal and inoperable stage IV colon cancer. The Weinlicks filled their final chapter together with family gatherings, a high school reunion, reading books and binge-watching "The West Wing." It was all the ordinary stuff of life after their more unusual wedding.
Episodes of MY LAST DAYS will be available on The CW's digital vertical dedicated to giving back, CWGOOD, which was created in partnership with Wayfarer Entertainment in 2016. CWGOOD highlights impactful stories that raise awareness for a number of charitable causes that CW stars and fans care about, with content that will both entertain and inspire.
Additionally, viewers will have a chance to check out all episodes from season three of MY LAST DAYS on SoulPancake's YouTube and Facebook Watch pages on May 8, May 15, May 22, May 29, and June 5.
MY LAST DAYS was created by Justin Baldoni, with episodes directed by Baldoni, Ahmed Musiol and Farhoud Meybodi, produced by Wayfarer Entertainment, in association with SoulPancake, with executive producers Justin Baldoni, Rainn Wilson, Ahmed Musiol, Farhoud Meybodi, Julianne Hough, and Sam Baldoni.
About MY LAST DAYS
Produced by Wayfarer Entertainment in association with SoulPancake, MY LAST DAYS is an uplifting documentary series about life, as told by courageous people living with a terminal illness. The award-winning docuseries first streamed on SoulPancake in 2013, quickly becoming an international viral sensation and one of the most watched YouTube documentary series of all time. Season Two of MY LAST DAYS transitioned to The CW network, where it aired on television as the flagship property of the network's brand new CWGOOD philanthropic platform. In 2018, Wayfarer Entertainment and CBS Films released New York Times Bestselling book, Five Feet Apart, inspired by the story of Claire Wineland from season two of MY LAST DAYS. Claire's story inspired the narrative for Justin Baldoni's feature film and directorial debut when the film "Five Feet Apart" was released in partnership with CBS Films and Welle Entertainment in 2019, grossing $63 million in its opening month. MY LAST DAYS has been recognized with a Clio Award, the premier awards competition for the creative industry, as well as the Television Academy Honors award, which annually recognizes seven exceptional programs that have harnessed the power of television to inspire social change.
About The CW
THE CW TELEVISION NETWORK launched in 2006 as America's fifth broadcast network, with programming targeting younger viewers, a demographic highly sought after by advertisers. The CW, a joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corporation, broadcasts a six-night, 12-hour primetime lineup, Sunday through Friday. The CW's primetime programming is also available to stream for free, without authentication, on the ad-supported cwtv.com and The CW app, now available on every major OTT platform. In daytime, The CW broadcasts a Monday through Friday afternoon block, and a three-hour Saturday morning kids block. The CW's digital network, CW Seed, launched in 2013, and offers original short-form digital content as well as past seasons of fan-favorite television series. For more information about the network and its programming, visit www.cwtvpr.com.
About Wayfarer Entertainment
Wayfarer Entertainment is an award-winning media studio focused on social good storytelling content for linear, digital, theatrical and branded distribution channels. At Wayfarer, our work is our service to humanity, and we endeavor to inspire people from all walks of life to change the world around them. In addition to developing projects from ideation through release, we also finance and acquire cause-driven content from a range of creators, providing them with the support and resources they need to share their stories and engage audiences around the world. Wayfarer is behind such groundbreaking and critically acclaimed projects like the Television Academy Honors and Clio award-winning documentary series MY LAST DAYS, with season four set to air on The CW Network with over 70 million views online; the Adweek Arc Award and Telly award-winning dinner conversation series "Man Enough"; as well as "Five Feet Apart," a feature film released in partnership with CBS Films, Lionsgate and Welle Entertainment, from the New York Times bestseller.
With an exciting year ahead in 2019, Wayfarer Entertainment is gearing up to release even more ground-breaking content to shift the culture we live in. Clio, Webby, and Television Academy Honors award winner "MY LAST DAYS," that garnered 70 million views online, is returning to The CW network in the Spring for Season Four, focusing on individuals with life-threatening illnesses living life to its fullest. Wayfarer also recently kicked off production on Season Two of "Man Enough," the AdWeek Arc Award-winning dinner conversation series featuring a diverse group of influential men as they explore and redefine traditional masculinity. With a viewership of over 15 million, "Man Enough" is at the forefront of the global conversation on the subject. In conjunction with CBS Films, Wayfarer released their first studio film this March. "Five Feet Apart" was directed and produced by Justin Baldoni and features actors Cole Sprouse and Haley Lu Richardson. Additionally, Baldoni's feature follow up, "Clouds," has been greenlit for production in 2019 at Warner Bros.
About SoulPancake
SoulPancake, a division of Participant Media, is a content studio that inspires and connects audiences across digital platforms, television and OTT, live events, and branded entertainment. The mission-driven company delivers stories and experiences that build compassion, celebrate curiosity, and disrupt the status quo with joy. Named one of Fast Company's "Most Innovative Companies in Video," SoulPancake has more than 700 million video views across its digital platforms, has released two New York Times bestselling books, been named to Inc. Magazine's Inc500 list of fastest-growing businesses, won twelve Webby Awards, four Streamy Awards, and took home a daytime Emmy. SoulPancake's positive content has attracted brand partners such as Coca-Cola, ConAgra Foods, GE, Google, Microsoft, Panera, Sprint, T-Mobile, the United Nations, Visa, and more. Find us online at www.soulpancake.com or on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat via @soulpancake.
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