Each Friday, I like to share something interesting that I’m watching, reading, or listening to this week, in case you’re looking for something over the weekend! This week, I’m talking about The Handmaid’s Tale.

The Handmaid’s Tale was first a book, written by Margaret Atwood in 1985 – it’s a dark, dystopian futuristic novel. It takes place in America, but it’s not the America that we know – it’s known as Gilead, and democracy has been overthrown for a totalitarian government. Even though it seems xrazy, and that something like this could never happen here and now, Atwood has said that the events in the book were inspired by history – things that have happened somewhere, at sometime!

Earlier this year, Hulu made it into a series, and at the end of each episode I was already excited for the next! It’s already been renewed for a second season, and was so interesting that I have started to read the book now that I’ve seen the show. I’m usually a stickler for movies or TV shows sticking very closely to the plot of the book, so we’ll see what I think now that I’m reading after watching!

Since it’s August, and SMA Awareness Month, like I mentioned earlier this week here, I also wanted to share this article about Missouri being the first state to add SMA to the list of mandatory diseases that newborns are screened for. This is actually something that I’ve learned about in my MPH curriculum, and I think it’s cool to see my worlds colliding! Newborn screening is so important, especially now that there is an FDA-approved treatment for SMA, because it will help kids to get diagnosed as early as possible, and get treatment as early as possible, before they lose strength and functionality! I’m so excited that Missouri added SMA to their list, and hope that other states do the same!