In SBS’s new authored documentary Osher Günsberg: A World of Pain, Executive Producer and Presenter Osher Günsberg spearheads a very personal investigation into chronic pain, one of the biggest health issues facing Australia. This one-hour documentary premieres at 8.30pm Thursday 21 November on SBS and SBS On Demand.
Everyone has experienced pain at one time or another. But for nearly 3.6 million Australians1, or one in seven people, chronic pain is an ever-present and debilitating condition, and an issue that costs our country up to $139 billion annually.2
Osher Günsberg: A World of Pain is told through the lens of Osher’s own pain journey as he meets the individuals and families affected by chronic pain, and reveals what surprising new science, medications and technological innovations are being used to treat and manage it.
He also looks beyond conventional treatment into emerging alternative therapies and puts his body on the line seeking an answer to an intriguing question: could the so-called ‘fine line between pleasure and pain’ hold the key to helping us better understand, treat and manage pain?
Osher’s own pain story arose when unfortunate but accepted complications from hip replacement surgery developed into a chronic pain condition. Making this a more difficult path to navigate, was that as a sober person with a history of using painkillers for other than their intended use, Osher needed to look elsewhere to manage the pain while still being able to work, and through two subsequent surgeries. Osher is now focused on physical rehab and increasing his mobility, and he still uses techniques learned from his pain psychologist to live a rich and active life.
As he meets several Australians from a diverse range of backgrounds, Osher discovers compelling stories of how they manage and sometimes overcome their individual worlds of pain.
Alana Crofts is 27 and has suffered debilitating endometriosis since the age of 15, resulting in numerous operations. Her condition is so all-encompassing she is having spinal surgery to try and reduce it.
Paralympian Monique Murphy fell from a 5th Floor balcony causing injuries so damaging, she lost her right leg and has battled the extraordinary phenomena that is phantom pain ever since.
Social psychologist Professor Brock Bastian explores the concept of changing the way we think about pain. He believes pain and pleasure are ends of the same spectrum – and that experiencing pain can enhance our experience of pleasure.
Research scientist Dr Sam Robinson aka Dr Sting (University of Queensland) is researching the use of venom in the fight against pain and how it could hold the key to pain relief for millions of people worldwide.
For basketball legend and three-time NBA champion Luc Longley, pain is part of the game and enduring pain is part of the commitment he makes to himself, his teammates, and his fans as an elite athlete.
Osher also discovers some ways of relieving pain that traditional western science can’t explain, experiencing first-hand how, with 60,000 years of passed down knowledge behind them, Ngangkari healers Debbie and Shaun lay on hands and remove pain.
Invisible and usually undetectable chronic pain has led some to proclaim that dealing with pain is simply a case of mind over matter. Osher Günsberg: A World of Pain sets out to discover if this sometimes may indeed be true. Don’t miss it.
Executive Producer and Presenter Osher Günsberg said: “SBS was courageous in commissioning A Matter of Life and Death, showing they were willing to bring a message of hope to issues which are difficult to address. When I started learning about what the impact of the chronic pain I was experiencing was having on millions of Australians, I was compelled to team up with Lune once more to make this film and share stories of others who were going through what I’d been through, and of those working hard to bring hope for those who still suffer.“
SBS Commissioning Editor Bethan Arwel-Lewis said: “Tackling the big issues facing our nation is at the heart of our programming at SBS, but the challenge is always to make sure we do this in a way that engages emotion and entertains. And this film is no exception. Osher Günsberg is the perfect guide into the world of pain, not only putting his body on the line in the name of science but meeting those whose lives are affected and others working tirelessly to find a cure. His personal experience makes for emotional viewing and his discoveries will reveal so much about this human condition that affects so many each year.”
Lune Media Managing Director Leonie Lowe said: “We’re proud to work with Osher Günsberg again on this second in a series of documentary projects together. Millions of Australians live with chronic pain, and it impacts the lives of millions more. It’s often misunderstood, underestimated, and treated inappropriately. We hope that by helping share Osher’s story – along with the stories of many others – we might all get a better understanding of chronic pain and ultimately discover better ways to treat and manage it.
Osher Günsberg: A World of Pain is a Lune Media production for SBS. Principal production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screen NSW. Financed with support from SBS.
Osher Günsberg: A World of Pain premieres at 8.30pm on Thursday 21 November on SBS and SBS On Demand and will be subtitled on SBS On Demand in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. All episodes will be available with audio description.
