Ken Burns' Mayo doc to include interviews with John McCain, Dalai Lama

Acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns is pulling out all the stops for his forthcoming documentary on the Mayo Clinic.

This week, we learned that Sen. John McCain and the Dalai Lama were interviewed for the two-hour film, which is set to air this fall.

Both McCain and the Dalai Lama are patients at Mayo Clinic. McCain, who is battling brain cancer, has been receiving treatment at Mayo's Phoenix campus, while the Dalai Lama has been traveling to Rochester for many years for regular health checkups.

The two are among a number of patients, staff and others who were interviewed for the film, titled The Mayo Clinic: Faith, Hope, Science. 

The documentary tells the story of how an unlikely partnership between the Sisters of Saint Francis and W.W. Mayo laid the foundation for what would become one of the world's greatest medical organizations. 

"Through the story of The Mayo Clinic, the film demonstrates the power of collaboration in medicine, the role of humanity in science, and the importance of hope in healing," says a preview from PBS. "In doing so, it provides insight into ways to make America’s healthcare delivery system more effective, efficient and compassionate."

Burns and his crew visited Rochester a few weeks back to talk about the project. You can read our recap of that discussion here.

The Mayo Clinic: Faith, Hope, Science will first air Sept. 25 with a repeat broadcast the following day. The film, according to PBS, will feature the voices of Tom Hanks, Sam Waterston, Blythe Danner and Josh Lucas.

Cover photo: The Dalai Lama / NIH on Flickr