Ocean of Pearls

Synopsis: A Sikh man with a full beard and turban, Amrit Singh is often the target of racial profiling. But when he sees his dreams of becoming Chief of Surgery at a state-of-the-art transplant center dwindle because of his appearance, Amrit goes against a tradition he's maintained his whole life and cuts his hair. Hiding this decision from his girlfriend and family in Toronto is only the start of a series of compromises Amrit finds himself making as he deals with hospital politics and health care injustices. When his compromises result in the death of a patient, Amrit begins to reexamine the value of the religious traditions he'd turned his back on.

A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Alberta Cancer Foundation for Colorectal Cancer Research. In 2009, an estimated 22,000 Canadians have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 9,100 will eventually die from it (Canadian Cancer Society, 2009). Overall, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in men and women combined. One in 14 men is expected to develop colorectal cancer during his lifetime and one in 27 will die of it. One in 15 women is expected to develop colorectal cancer during her lifetime and one in 31 will die of it (Canadian Cancer Society, 2009). For more information or to donate, please visit www.albertacancer.ca.