JOHN YANG: Tonight on PBS News Weekend.
As# the pause in fighting in Gaza takes hold,## Israel awaits the return of# their hostages and thousands## of Palestinians return to# the ruins of their homes.
Then, the latest progress and what's on# the horizon for preventing and treating## breast cancer.
And in our weekend# spotlight, bestselling author Mitch## Albom talks about his latest book,# his writing process and giving back.
MITCH ALBOM: I wanted to write a book that# showed that even if you had the ability,## the magical ability to go back in time and# change it, you might find a whole new set of## problems and you might find that you miss what# you learned from what you thought was a mistake.
(BREAK) JOHN YANG: Good evening.
I'm John Yang.# It's day 11 of the government shutdown## and there are still no signs of efforts# to end the congressional stalemate that's## blocking federal funding.
President Trump# says he's directed the Defense Department## to use all available funds to make sure# U.S.
troops are paid on time on Wednesday.
Tomorrow, the Smithsonian museums and# the National Zoo will close as they run## out of the unspent prior year funds# they've been using to keep the doors## open.
The president's trying to increase# pressure on Democrats, saying he'll pick## and choose which furloughed workers get back# pay and slash programs Democrats care about.
The administration is also moving ahead with plans# for mass firings.
On Friday, federal workers began## receiving notices telling them that they'll be# laid off in 60 days.
The administration says that## more than 4,100 workers will be fired across seven# agencies, the moves being challenged in court.
Authorities say there are no survivors from# a blast that leveled an explosives plant in## Tennessee, Friday.
They say it's not clear yet# how many people died, though earlier they said## 18 people were missing.
Actress and producer# Diane Keaton has died.
PBS News has confirmed.
Over her long career, she won acclaim for# roles in films as varied as "The Godfather"## and "Annie Hall," for which she won an# Academy award.
Keaton was 79 years old.
In the Middle East, there's relief# in both Israel and Gaza as the pause## in fighting appears to be holding# in Tel Aviv.
Hagai Angrest eagerly## anticipates the return of his son,# kidnapped soldier Matan Angrest.
HAGAI ANGREST, Father Of Hostage# Matan Angrest: We are very excited## waiting for our son and for all the# 48 hostages.
Want to thank to -- many## thanks for President Trump.
He did it# and all the American teams in Gaza.
JOHN YANG: Palestinians stream# north on foot toward Gaza City.## Their relief is tempered by the# magnitude of the destruction.
AHMED AL-JABARI, Displaced Palestinian (through# translator: I'm happy that there is no blood,## no killing.
People can sleep in calm and are# reassured.
Now when the war is over, where will we## go?
I am displaced in a government area building,# but we have to move from there.
Where will we go?
JOHN YANG: As Israeli forces pull back in Gaza,## relief organizations prepare to# move in with desperately needed aid.
Before the cease fire took hold, foreign# affairs correspondent Nick Schifrin spoke## with Antoine Renard, the World Food Programme's# director for the Palestinian territories.
NICK SCHIFRIN: We have seen# over the last two years,## since the October 7th terrorist# attack, enormous suffering in## Gaza.
From your perspective, how bad is the# suffering today compared to in the past?
ANTOINE RENARD, World Food Programme:# Today in Gaza city you have 400,000## people that are being cut off from the# rest of the Gaza Strip.
We went with our## team actually to also ensure what were# the conditions out there on 22 August.## The famine conditions were actually# confirmed in the area of Gaza City.
And what we've managed to do over# the last month is actually to bring## more volume of assistance into Gaza and# the Gaza Strip.
You have on an average,## you know, now two meals per day, while it# used to be one meal per day just, you know,## two months ago.
But yet what was the area# that was most at risk?
You have 400,000## people that are being trapped and there's# no more assistance that is reaching them.
NICK SCHIFRIN: So explain that shift over# the last month.
How many more trucks are## being allowed in and are they reaching# the people who needed the aid the most?
ANTOINE RENARD: The World Food Programme has been# working actually since end of July is to have at## least on an average 100 trucks at minimum per# day.
Out of all the trucks that I've managed to## enter into Gaza over the last few weeks, WFP has# been doing practically a third of all of those.
What we've managed to bring is more than 55,000# metric tons of food over the last two months.## To give you a reality of what it is, it's# a third of just the staple food that people## require in Gaza.
But that is not enough# because you need also to have the proper## fresh food that is out here.
People are not# just relying on canned food and wheat flour.## They require to have proper access to fruits,# to vegetables, to meats, to dairy products.
So the reality is that we managed to bring a# bit more, but at the same time it is not enough.## In north Gaza, clearly the conditions,# famine conditions are still are out there.## Since 12 September, we did not manage# to actually bring the food as were in## the recent weeks.
In central and south of Gaza,# you actually have more goods that are coming in.
The problem that you have is that those that were# recently displaced, how are they going to afford## it just to go from Gaza City all the way down?# Some people actually have to borrow sometime## up to $1,000.
You might have more food on the# market, you might have more capacity for people## to get the food there, but they can't afford it.# And that is the biggest challenge that we have.
NICK SCHIFRIN: Can you give us a little bit more# detail on the people of Gaza City?
Obviously,## we have been seeing images of people# who are struggling with malnutrition,## children who health authorities# say have died from famine,## from hunger.
How does it compare# today to what you've seen in the past?
ANTOINE RENARD: I mean, I was in Gaza at# the end of July and beginning of August,## I went again to Gaza City meeting the# same families.
They see the children## which actually don't want to be waked up# because they actually don't even know if## they're going to have a proper meal on a# daily basis.
That's what you're telling me.
And they feel such a deja vu of these things# that have happened again and again.
That's## why more than ever in Gaza City, we require the# assistance to reach the population and at scale.
NICK SCHIFRIN: The people who# have gone down to Deir al Balah,## gone down to the south.
How great are# the needs of the recently displaced## who have left Gaza City and how# much are you able to get to them?
ANTOINE RENARD: Well, one of the challenges that# you have every time that you are being displaced## is that you lose assets.
You need potentially# to again find a tent, if there is any tent on## the market, many of them actually worth more# than $1,200 just to find a simple shelter,## where to go, you need again to see where is the# queue for any of the hot meals that are out there,## where is the access to the water, where is the# medical area?
So all of these people, again,## are struggling just to find the basics.
NICK SCHIFRIN: And on the flip side,## are you ready to surge humanitarian assistance?
ANTOINE RENARD: The reality is that# we have all the food, being in Egypt,## being in Israel, being in Jordan, and we have all# the teams that are on the ground.
As we speak,## we have more than 100 staff that are# actively reinstating bread in many areas,## reinstating nutrition, because people deserve# to actually have the bare minimum.
We have## food out there for the next three months.# We are ready and we will make it happen.
NICK SCHIFRIN: Antoine# Renard, thank you very much.
ANTOINE RENARD: Thanks to you.
JOHN YANG: Still to come on PBS News Weekend,# the latest progress in the fight against## breast cancer and our weekend spotlight# on author and humanitarian Mitch Albom.
(BREAK) JOHN YANG: Every October for the past# 40 years, pink ribbons have sprouted as## the symbol of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.# It's a good time to take stock of the latest## in breast cancer research and the experience of# patients.
Ali Rogin spoke with Dr.
Arif Kamal,## the American Cancer Society's chief patient# officer and a Duke University Medical School## professor and Kristen Dahlgren,# a former NBC News correspondent## who's a breast cancer survivor and the# founder of the Cancer Vaccine Coalition.
ALI ROGIN: Thank you both so much for joining# me.
Arif, I'd like to start with you.
We have,## as a country been commemorating Breast# Cancer awareness month for 40 years now.## What are some of the major milestones you# see that we've achieved over that time?
ARIF KAMAL, Chief Patient Officer,# American Cancer Society: Yeah, 40 years## is pretty remarkable as we think .. really center around the number 40, actually,# for a lot of the great accomplishments.
Breast## cancer mortality has reduced by over# 40 percent over that period of time.
In addition, we've now reduced the age of which# we recommend starting mammograms now down to the## age of 40.
In addition, we're starting to see# other areas of disparities and gaps closing## as well.
Mammogram rates, for example, are at# all-time highs across multiple communities.
Now,## we still got some room to grow, but a lot has# happened over, you know, a couple decades of time.
ALI ROGIN: And to that point,# Arif, sticking with you,## where do some of the main challenges still remain?
ARIF KAMAL: You know, again, I'll stick to the# number 40 here for a minute.
So black women,## for example, are 40 percent more likely# to die of breast cancer when matched## stage for stage with white women.# In addition, we're starting to see,## you know, some areas and pockets of# mammogram low rates across the country.
In addition, we're starting to# see some of the experience be## varying across different populations.
For example,## some data from the American Cancer Society# looked at loneliness and social isolation,## and we found that breast cancer survivors# only reported about 40 percent of them having## adequate social support during the course of their# cancer treatment.
So we've got some work to go.
ALI ROGIN: Kristen, you come at this from# so many interesting places yourself.
You## were diagnosed with stage two breast# cancer in 2019, and following that,## you've committed your work to pursuing a# vaccine for breast cancer.
What inspired## you to make this more than just your# own personal breast cancer journey?
KRISTEN DAHLGREN, Founder, Cancer Vaccine# Coalition: I was a network correspondent## and I was 47 when I was diagnosed.# You know, I went through my treatment,## but it wasn't easy.
And as soon as I learned as# part of my reporting that there were breast and## other cancer vaccines in development, I was# blown away.
And I didn't believe it at first.
Once I learned that these are not just# pie in the sky down the road treatments,## they actually are included clinical trials# and seeing incredible results, I had to do## something about it.
So I decided to put together a# coalition of top doctors from around the country.
We're bringing them together for some# collaborations.
These research trials## take a lot of funding, so we're raising# money to help accelerate the process and## then we're out there talking about it# so that people know what's available.
We don't have to do these treatments, you# know, that are were developed in the 1800s## and in the mid-century.
And, you know, there# really is this future down the road and it## could be closer if we get behind this idea that# our immune systems really can fight off cancer.
ALI ROGIN: And speaking of that# research, Kristen, sticking with you,## how has that research, if at all been affected# by some of the cuts we're seeing from HHS,## particularly when it comes to things# like MRNA platforms for vaccines?
KRISTEN DAHLGREN: Right.
So, you know,# the head of NIH went on TV and said,## our concerns and what we're doing in the# MRNA space, cutting research does not## apply to cancer vaccines.
Those are really# promising.
We need to pursue that research.
Cancer is nonpartisan.
It doesn't care which# way you vote.
It impacts all of us.
And so## while there have been funding cuts, I think if# the government gets better behind this type of## forward thinking in modern medicine,# we really could change things.
And## so it's something that I'm really passionate# about, encouraging our government to do more## and more research in this space because it# could be world changing for so many of us.
ALI ROGIN: And you both are thinking a lot and# doing a lot to address the patient experience.## So what would your message be to somebody who# has breast cancer on the mind right now?
Either## because they're going through a diagnosis or they# are facing screening.
Arif, let's start with you.
ARIF KAMAL: The reality is today, many# people, even with advanced disease,## don't require or need chemotherapy that# makes them lose their hair or stay in bed## for long periods of time.
Oftentimes# now, the average person with cancer## is someone who may be next to you on# a train or maybe with you at work.
As cancer becomes an experience for# many people that lasts now, you know,## over months and potentially even years, means we# have to continue to reform the oncology delivery## community to think about these journeys now# being measured over marathons instead of sprints.
ALI ROGIN: Kristen?
KRISTEN DAHLGREN: Yeah, I like that because# this is, y.. these long lives ahead after a cancer# diagnosis.
I know for me, I'm aware of## cancer every day and I think we need to look at# it year round as something that we're aware of.
For me as a patient, I worry about recurrence and# it's why you know, getting additional treatments,## more interventions that could prevent# recurrence is so important.
I also found## my own breast cancer.
I had a mammogram in# May of 2019 and just four months later I## saw a dent in my breast and I insisted on more# screening.
It turned out I had dense breasts.
I didn't understand what that meant and that# I could have gotten more screening after that## initial mammogram because that if we can do# earlier detection and better screening and## then we can have more interventions and things# that make a better outcome as far as treatments,## we really could get this disease even more under# control than we have over the past 40 years.
ALI ROGIN: Such important messages.# Dr.
Arif Kamal and Kristin Dahlgren,## thank you so much.
KRISTEN DAHLGREN: You bet.
ARIF KAMAL: Thank you.
JOHN YANG: Finally tonight, a sports writer# turned author turned benefactor who puts love## and hope at the center of nearly everything# he does in our weekend spotlight, Mitch Albom.
MITCH ALBOM, Author, "Twice": This is# the big that Hudson New Hudson building.
JOHN YANG (voice-over): Spending the day with## Mitch Albom in Detroit is# not a leisurely experience.
MITCH ALBOM: We try to keep everything happy.
JOHN YANG (voice-over): At# Detroit Water Ice Factory,## the nonprofit dessert store he started# to help fund his humanitarian work,## he whips up a Motown twist with his namesake# Mr.
Mitch's chocolate peanut butter.
Then a stop at say, Detroit Play,# a one-time abandoned city rec## center that Albom transformed into a# multimillion dollar learning center## for hundreds of school students# where academics come before play.
MITCH ALBOM: We're not going to build something# that's good enough for a poor neighborhood in## Detroit.
We're going to build something that's# good enough for the best neighborhood in all of## Michigan.
If you deliver high expectations, you'll# get high performances.
If you come in with low## expectations, oh, this is good enough.
That's# exactly the performances you're going to get.
And all I did was kind of, you know,# kind of get it going, you know,## but they take the ball and run with it and# it's, you can see it's a lot of joy there.
JOHN YANG (voice-over): While there, the# one-time professional musician shows us## his talents on the piano.
He's never had a lesson.
MITCH ALBOM: Got to know your Flintstones.
JOHN YANG (voice-over): In between stops,# he takes a call from the orphanage he's## run in Haiti since after the# devastating 2010 earthquake.
MITCH ALBOM: This is actually# my second time around in life.
JOHN YANG: All of that is before or# two hours behind a microphone for his## long running daily afternoon# radio show on Detroit station## WJR.
And after the three hours every# morning that he devotes to writing.
Albom's books have sold 42 million copies.
His# latest, a novel entitled "Twice," was published## this week.
It's about a boy who can go into the# past in order to have a second chance at things,## except when it comes to love.
So your protagonist,# Alfie Logan from Philadelphia, you're a Philly## boy.
You started out as a musician, turned# to writing.
Are there other similarities?
MITCH ALBOM: Yes.
Most of Alfie's screw ups# with girls were based on personal experience.## And Alfie has the power to# go back in time, redo things.
MITCH ALBOM: So there's a scene in# the book where he goes up to this## cute blonde girl who he kind of has a crush# on, and he starts talking with his hands and## hits a glass of milk and knocks it into# her lap.
And she looks up with that, oh,## my God.
And he just says, look at that, and walks# away.
And that is exactly what happened to me.
If you want to write about a teenager with# embarrassing moments in his romantic life and## you already have them in your own life, why not# use them?
Why make up something else if they work?
JOHN YANG: Tell us how he discovers he's got this.
MITCH ALBOM: Yeah, they're living in Africa.
And# he is supposed to sit with his mother, who's sick,## and she's in one of those mosquito netting beds.# And he goes and sees that she's sleeping and his## father's out, and he says, well, she's sleeping.# I'll just go out and play.
And he realizes his## mother died while he was out.
And he's so upset# by this that when he wakes up the next morning,## it's the day before, and his father says, go sit# with your mother.
And he goes, what do you mean,## go sit with your mother?
And he walks in and# she's there again, and it's replaying all over.
But it was a very poignant scene for me because# my mother had a stroke and then a series of## strokes that robbed her of the ability to speak# for the last several years of her life.
And## so I never had that last conversation with her# because I didn't know the stroke was coming.
And then I had gone out to see her and# I flew back home.
And when I landed,## I got a phone call that she had died while# I was in the air.
And there's a line in the## book that says Alfie, who was running# around with a cape, a Superman cape on,## just jumping up and down.
And he says, my mother# died while I was trying to fly.
And I don't think## most people will know him, maybe I'm telling# you, but my mother died while I was flying.
And so, yeah, that scene kind of choked me up a# little bit.
Set the stage for the book, though.
JOHN YANG (voice-over): It was as a Detroit# Free Press sports columnist in the 1980s that## Albom first gained prominence.# His 1997 worldwide bestseller,## "Tuesdays with Morrie," brought broader# recognition.
An account of his weekly visits## with a beloved former professor who was dying.# It's one of the bestselling memoirs of all time.
MITCH ALBOM: I just start with what I want# to write about and then I create a story## around it.
So, for example, the five people you# meet in heaven, people have always thought, oh,## you want to write about heaven after# Morrie.
And that wasn't really true.## I wanted to write a story about# people who think they don't matter.
So I kind of picked themes before I start.# And theme for this one was the "Grass is## Always Greener."
And I wanted to write a book# that showed that even if you had the ability,## the magical ability to go back in time and change# it, you might find a whole new set of problems,## and you might find that you miss what you# learned from what you thought was a mistake.
JOHN YANG (voice-over):# While not all love stories,## many of Albom's books have lessons# about love, hope, and optimism.
JOHN YANG: So many of my friends I# told I was coming to do this said,## what they love about your books is the sense of# hope and optimism that runs through all of them.
MITCH ALBOM: Yeah.
JOHN YANG: In Americ.. so much -- so many troubles, is it# hard to keep that hope and optimism?
MITCH ALBOM: No, I actually find it's more# necessary and it's somewhat easier because## it's almost a counter to what's going on.
I# think that everybody wants hope and everybody## wants inspiration.
When people take out their# wallets, they pull out a picture of their## grandson or their child or whatever.
They don't# pull out a picture of their woe or their misery## or how awful life is.
Here, let me show you how# awful, how dark life is.
They aspire to hope.
JOHN YANG (voice-over): Since 2010, Albom has# been giving hope to hundreds of impoverished## orphans in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
He and# an army of volunteers rebuilt an orphanage## heavily damaged by the earthquake.# He spends a week there every month.
MITCH ALBOM: I did not know what I was# doing.
I'll admit that at the beginning,## I didn't have children of my own.
I# didn't even know diaper changing or## a lot of that stuff.
But I learned it.# And the kids are the absolute joys of## our lives and the purpose for myself and my# wife.
I'm sure that were put on this earth.
JOHN YANG (voice-over): Albom and his wife# of 30 years, Jeanine, became parents to two## children from Haiti.
Just one instance when# he says he's been given a second chance.
MITCH ALBOM: So there's more to this than just# a love story in a novel.
I have come to realize## that my life has been the embodiment of second# chances.
If you look at it from 30,000 feet,## you know, I was a musician, and# I thought, that's all I want to## do.
And I failed at it.
And I kind of took up# writing because there was nothing else to do.
But look at what writing has given me.
We don't# have children.
We get married late.
Doesn't happen## for us.
We figure out we're not going to -- we're# going to be a couple that doesn't have children.## And then this little.
Then an orphanage comes into# our lives.
And then this little girl named Chica## needs our help because she has a brain tumor, and# she becomes our daughter for two years.
And then## we lose her.
And we figure, oh, my goodness, you# know, that was our chance.
That was our child.
And then a few years ago, a little girl is# brought to us who weighs six pounds at six## months and has had nothing to eat but# sugar water.
And I hold her in my hand,## and she fits in one hand and her eyes are closed# and she can't speak and she can barely move.
We## don't think.
We just say, well, we have to# save her life.
She's our little girl.
And## we have the second chance with another# beautiful little child full of life.
What did I do to deserve all these second# chances?
Who's watching over me that's saying,## you're on this way, but we're going to take you# this way.
So this is kind of a celebration of## what life can be like if you understand# what went wrong with the first time## and you try to make it right the second# time.
And I am a walking example of that.
JOHN YANG: And that is PBS News Weekend for this## Saturday.
I'm John Yang.
Thanks# for joining us.
See you tomorrow.