Starfish

When Michael is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness; should his father allow the use of untested drugs? For Shannon; struggling with Social Phobia; should her reservations and fears be put to one side; and should she take the plunge to help other people with conditions like hers?'Starfish'; set in the familiar environment of a small town; lays bare the concerns and considerations surrounding clinical trials. By interweaving the stories of Shannon; and her teacher; Michael; Judith Johnson takes two very different illnesses and looks at the possibilities available to them both.