HawthoRNe (2009) s02e05 Episode Script
The Match
Okay, that could work, but the ER is really popping.
I need your vacancies so I can bring some Peds cases up and give Gail some breathing room.
We're full.
What do you mean, you're full? When did that happen? We got two admits last night on the night shift.
Who? Good morning, John.
Easy for you to say.
Are the twins here? Yes, the night-shift admits.
Okay.
They're in room 737, Gretchen and Grace Breton, nine-years-old, both suffering from polycystic kidney disease.
One's suffering from edema.
The other had shortness of breath.
And they both need dialysis.
Identical twins in need of kidney transplant.
They're been waiting for over a year.
They already have one match, the brother.
Two little girls and one kidney? It's an impossible choice.
You're damn right.
How's a mother supposed to choose which daughter she's gonna save? Anything you can do to make them more comfortable, I appreciate it.
Comfortable, okay.
I'm putting you and Tom on point.
Let me know if there's anything you need.
Okay.
Kelly, I'm gonna need your help with this.
Yeah, no problem.
All right.
Hey.
How's your arm? It's healing up nicely.
Any pain? No.
What's Dr.
Danee saying? That it's all looking really good.
Listen, um I don't think Camille's gonna be home tonight.
I thought maybe we could watch a movie, Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington.
You know how much I love Claude Rains.
I wanted to get married, not watch a movie.
We really should see this family.
And it's another king.
Hello.
Hi, I'm Dr.
Wakefield.
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
I'm Christina Hawthorne, Director of Nursing.
Hi.
Hi.
Hello.
Hey.
Okay.
I'm gonna put on my thinking cap, okay? Now, I have not missed a name in 20 years.
All right, here we go.
Gretchen, Grace.
I'm Gretchen.
I'm Grace.
Ooh, I was this close.
Should we step outside? Have you found a donor? I've had so many of these conversations.
There are no secrets here.
And we've heard all the speeches, and we know the stats.
We're gonna do everything we can for your family.
We're gonna make your stay here as comfortable as possible.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
All right, girls, we'll see you later, okay? All right, your move.
So, I checked the registry.
It's a nine-month wait for a kidney.
Oh.
It'll be a little crazier up here than I thought.
True Wishes Project is sending this basketball player, Dwyane Wade, up to meet one of our patients, Brian.
And who's covering Brian? I am.
You know what? You got your hands full with the twins.
Malia, do me a favor.
Cover Brian for her? Oh, yeah, Brian.
He's my favorite.
Thanks.
Uh, hey, what can I help with? Hey, you know what? Why don't help Kelly with her family? They're gonna need as much attention as possible.
Yeah, I could use the help.
So stick close to Kelly and do as she says.
You know me.
I do know you.
That's why I'm saying stick close to Kelly and do as she says.
Gloria is the contact person at True Wishes.
That's her number.
Dwyane doesn't have a lot of time, so I really need you to stay on top of that.
Yeah, you talk to me like I'm incapable of doing anything right.
It's really starting to irritate me.
It's just like a PR job, basically.
Yeah.
That's my forte.
So you need to greet Dwyane, make sure he knows where he's going, make sure Brian has the time of his life, the whole thing.
Can you handle that? Yeah, I've hung out with celebrities before.
It's no big deal.
Call Gloria if you have any questions.
All right, you ready to help me out? Can't I just stay here? I'm not really good with kids.
What if I say the wrong thing? You can't.
You just have to say what you feel and make sure they know it's gonna be okay.
You'll do great.
Don't' panic.
Let's go.
She'll be here soon.
Mama.
Yeah, baby doll? Hey.
How are we doing in here? Her catheter's irritating her.
Okay, I'll take care of that right away.
Hey, sweetie, let me see.
Okay.
My dad was white, too.
You know, it's tough being biracial for transplants.
You know, it's hard to get a donor.
Lots of minorities don't want to donate given our history with the healthcare system.
But we're still hanging on.
God has a plan for us.
Right, babies? Gretchen should be fine now, so if you need anything else, just call.
So, Gretchen will get this kidney? Yeah, that's the plan.
But if Grace is so sick, then doesn't she need it more? Well, Grace is in respiratory distress.
So, in her state, the chances of rejection are higher, so the surgery's a higher risk for her.
Uh, I don't know.
It doesn't feel right.
Well, we're still looking for a match for Grace, you know.
What if you don't find one? Let's just take one step at a time.
Let's take care of you and Gretchen first, okay? Take both of my kidneys.
Well, we can't do that.
No, take them both.
Keep me on dialysis.
I'll wait for a donor.
Michael, it doesn't work like that.
I can handle it.
I can handle it.
But they have been through so much.
So go ahead.
Take them both.
You can't put all of this on yourself, you know.
Trust me.
We will do absolutely everything we can for both of them.
You'll be there, right? You'll make sure Gretchen's okay? Well, I'm not really performing that many surgeries these days, but, yeah, I'll be there.
And I'll make sure they get it right.
Where the hell is Kelly? Ugh.
A prosthetic leg? Really? Never noticed that.
You are so full of it.
Can I ask you how you lost it? Joyriding on my brother's motorcycle.
I was 17.
I thought you said you only had a sister.
I don't like to talk about it.
You two can pick the bugs out of each other's fur after hours.
We're shorthanded today.
Uh, Gail? This man's here about donating a kidney.
You sure he's got the right hospital? Is this about the twins up on Peds? Hospital escort to outpatient surgery.
Hospital escort to outpatient surgery.
Hey, Bobbie, what are all these people doing here? Potential donors.
Marcus, do we have any extra rooms to draw blood? I don't have room for my patients.
He's secondary.
Secondary? ER stands for emergency room.
The lab techs can't handle this load.
Those people are gonna have to get their blood drawn someplace else.
Come here, sir.
Here.
Sit right here.
I'll have somebody with you in a second, okay? Bobbie, how did all these people get here? The Internet.
Uh, you didn't see? See what? Your girl did you proud.
Excuse me? Check it out.
Hey, guys.
It's time to make a video.
We're gonna try to get you some kidneys.
My name is Grace.
And your name? Gretchen.
Can you sing something for me, anything? # Twinkle, twinkle, little stars # How I wonder what you are No playgrounds, no play dates, no sleepovers.
Just hospital beds and dialysis machines.
# How I wonder what you are # Oh, that was beautiful.
Please help.
Become a kidney donor today at James River.
Say bye, guys.
Bye.
Bye.
Do you know where I can get tested to see if my kidneys are healthy enough to donate? Yes.
You see those doors? Right through there.
Excuse me, ma'am.
Please come on over here.
Thanks for coming.
Bobbie, can you help her? Yeah.
You know, you can't just stage an impromptu donor drive.
You got to tell me something.
Gail, if I knew about this, don't you think I would have? Yeah, but if this doesn't work out, it's gonna be my ass.
Excuse me.
Excuse me.
Thank you, everyone, for coming.
We understand how valuable your time is.
We're just getting a few things situated, and then we'll see everybody as soon as possible.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I get what you did.
I even appreciate it, okay? Good job.
But don't ever do that again.
But all these people Camille, this is a lot.
Besides, I told you to stay in Peds with Kelly and do what Kelly says.
Did Kelly tell you to do this? No.
Exactly.
Go ahead.
We'll talk about this later.
Well, that blows.
I mean, what kind of operation are you running anyway? Well, I don't go around promising Dwyane Wade to cancer kids and then canceling, lady.
You should be ashamed of yourself.
Whore.
Is Dwyane here? Bad news.
He can't make it.
What? Yeah, they said his flight was snowed in.
Sorry.
Well, did he say some other time, or You know, these ball players are pretty busy.
Did you say something to screw this up for me? Hey, you should've heard me on the phone.
I was fighting for you.
No big deal.
Yeah, that's it.
Don't let this get you down.
You got bigger problems than this, right? Oh, what is it, dear? What? You know, I can't hear you over the jackhammering! I'm sorry! We're trying to fix it! It's Johnson! No, no, no! It's for Johnson! Yes! Oh, there we go.
Okay, yes, sir.
No, well, we can barely hear ourselves, so Hello? Hello? How long is this supposed to go on? They said two days, but I don't think my nerves can take it! Yeah, well, my patient can't take it! No, and they're blasting a hole in the wall next door! It's for the It's the only way to get the MRI into the suite, and You mean the crate from the parking lot? It's Erin's pet project or something! Ray! Ray! Tom.
Hi.
Hey.
You good? Yeah.
Just have my hands full with these twin transplants.
How's it going with Dr.
Danee? Great.
You know, I spoke to him, and, um, he said that you aren't returning his phone calls.
Yeah, I'm, uh I'm seeing someone else.
The swelling has gone down.
I've regained full mobility.
What about your surgery? Don't see the need.
I'm just parched.
Would you mind opening this for me? You're not healing.
Yeah, well, this surgery could make things worse.
It could cause irreparable damage and kill my career.
Well, so could putting it off any longer.
Erin, I appreciate your help.
I really do.
But I am in the middle of a no-win case, and I don't mean to be rude, but I am not gonna have that surgery.
I think I got a fix.
I dated this guy that does something in basketball.
And I just called him, and he said he's gonna try to find a replacement for Wade.
Uh, I think you should call him back and just let the True Wishes people figure something else out, you know? Well, it can't hurt.
Brian really wants to meet Dwyane Wade.
Who knows? Maybe the storm will clear up.
Okay, well, it better happen quick, 'cause that kid looks like he's getting ready to check out.
You have a real way with words.
Christina.
Lab asked me to rush this down to you.
What is it? Mind your business.
Come on.
My buddy in the lab told me they found a match.
Really? They can prep one of the girls tonight, then get the kidney from the brother in the morning.
So by this time tomorrow, both girls got their transplant.
We found a match.
It's true.
We found a donor.
They did it! It's gonna be okay! They found a match! Just got the medical history on our kidney donor.
She had cancer several years ago.
Damn.
Kidney's not viable.
It's Grace.
We need help! She's stopped breathing.
Grace, Grace, are you okay? Pulse dropped to 76.
BP is 70 over 40.
Okay, Kelly, let's get her a room up in the ICU and give her some etomidate.
Is she gonna be all right? We're gonna put her on a ventilator to help her breathe.
Is she breathing now? We're gonna do everything we can.
She should get that operation now.
She needs that kidney now.
I know you have the match.
What are you waiting for? What match? The match! That short-haired girl, the volunteer, she told me.
Please, my baby needs that kidney now! That's not an option.
We need to get her to the ICU.
Are you crazy? You took it upon yourself to give this woman information.
Medical information, which is illegal.
And on top of that, you don't even know what you're talking about? Camille, look at me when I am talking to you.
That is the most unprofessional, irresponsible thing you have ever done.
What the hell were you thinking about? I don't want you talking to not a family member, not a parent, nobody.
Do you understand me? You have no idea what I have to do to clean this up.
Christina, Christina.
Please.
Camille, give us a second.
No! Give us a second.
Thank you.
Tom, don't you ever do that again.
Do not undermine me in front of my child.
Come on.
She made a mistake, okay? I'm not gonna sit here and listen to you crucify her for doing the type of thing you do every single day.
You want to pick a fight with someone, pick a fight with me.
Come on, please.
No, I'm serious.
You want to fight with someone, fight with me.
I've got a few things I'd like to fight with you about.
Ow! Are you crazy? My arm's broken! I'm sorry.
I'm so What is wrong with you? I didn't think it would hurt.
It's in a You didn't think my arm's broken? All right.
It's in a cast! I didn't know! Because it's broken.
What's the matter with you? I really was trying to play.
I'm sorry.
Oh, my God, you are completely crazy.
You're right.
I'm tripping.
Okay.
What am I gonna tell this woman? I'll take care of it.
Come on.
Brian.
Say hello to John Sully.
That's Salley.
John Salley.
Nice to meet you, Brian.
How you doin'? I heard about your little mix-up with Dwyane Wade.
You know, I was in town, so I decided to stop by, check you out.
Isn't that great? You're a very brave young man.
I mean, a true inspiration.
You know, you don't need to be impressed with me.
I'm the one that's lucky and humbled to know you.
Who are you? I'm, uh, John Salley.
Aren't you an announcer? Oh, no, no, before that, two millenniums, three decades, three teams, four championships.
You remember I played with the Pistons, the Bulls, the Lakers? Were you injured a lot, 'cause I don't remember you playing? Oh, no, I was a role player.
Very important part of the team, though.
Sounds like you got on the right team at the right time.
Wow.
Let me explain something to you.
I get this all the time.
Michael Jordan and Kobe couldn't have won those championships without me.
You know Kobe? Yeah, I know Kobe.
Well, can you call him? Hey, Stewie, how about showing a little gratitude? Yeah, come on, kid.
I'm here to make your wish come true.
Oh, excuse me! Excuse me! You can't come in here! This is a clean area, and you're bringing dust and then whatever the hell that is! No! All right.
Get out of my ICU and stop your Jackhammering now! Uh, Candy, I don't think you can really do that.
Okay, you know what, Ray? Look, get out of here now or I will make you a patient! All right, shut it down! Guys, take 10! We just completed the medical history on the donor match.
Several years ago, she had breast cancer.
Is she fully recovered? Yes, but, as you know, this particular type of cancer generally disqualifies people from donating.
But she's healthy now.
We can't risk giving a kidney that could become cancerous.
But we are still testing people downstairs, and we'll find someone.
We already found someone.
I'm not leaving this hospital without both of my daughters.
Now give my baby that damn kidney.
Sir, I understand your predicament, but this is out of my hands.
Well, then, whose hands is it in? Hers, right there.
Nurse Hawthorne.
I'm sorry.
Is there a problem? This man saw the video about the twins needing a donor.
Yeah, my son's been waiting for three years.
I hear they've been on for a year.
Why do they get to go to the head of the line? Why? Is it because they look cute on video? Can someone explain to me why these girls are getting preference over my boy? Sir Excuse me.
I'm John Morrissey, CEO of the hospital.
Can we talk about this in my office? Dude looks upset.
Yeah, he is.
Listen, you guys have any coffee around here, or a Starbucks nearby? Are you a potential donor? Yeah, doing it for the cute kids.
Well, coffee's the last thing you want.
We have water, cold, room temp, warm, and ice chips.
Okay, thank you.
All right.
There, see? That's me.
my rookie year.
I scored Eh, it's pretty blurry.
We didn't have HD back then, kid, you know.
But, hey, check out this move.
Check out this move! I was killing it that night! That doesn't look like you.
Use some imagination, kid.
All right.
This is me imagining you're Dwyane Wade.
Jokes.
Okay, this is right here, this is when I was with the Chicago Bulls.
The shorts are kind of tight, but, you know, that was in style that year.
Sure.
I heard you were having a problem with the work next door.
Yeah, the noise is driving the patients crazy, and then the workers just keep coming right through.
Well, they're not supposed to do that.
They're supposed to go around and enter the site through the back stairs.
These patients are critical care.
Look, if we have to vacate the ICU for a few days, we'll just use some beds in, uh, in recovery.
We just have to We have to soldier through this.
I don't think you know the first thing about soldiering.
Candy.
Look, this is the only way to get the MRI into the building.
Yeah, I don't care.
Figure out something else.
Hold on, sir.
It's incessant hammering, okay? Maybe we could do That's gonna add at least another day.
It'll give us a chance to keep our sanity.
Fine.
Thanks, Marcus.
Everyone, I want to just say again, thank you for your patience.
When I saw those poor little girls online, I knew we had to do something.
Here you go, sir.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
All right.
Christina, a group of parents with children on the transplant list are filing a motion to force us to test these samples against every child on the waiting list.
What is this? They have started a website posting their children's pictures and bios on it, and they are attacking us pretty aggressively.
By law, a donor can give to whomever they want, which means we will win in the court of law.
But we will be slaughtered in the court of public opinion.
They'll think that we're being unfair.
I just wish I had known about this little drive.
Well, me too.
This is why the list was established in the first place.
These are our patients.
We do not discriminate.
We do not prioritize based on how upsetting something looks on YouTube.
Morrissey, you gave me this case, remember? I asked you to spearhead this case, not open our doors as a major transplant center.
Well, now we've got people out here that are willing to sacrifice themselves for strangers, and now you're telling me you want me to just send them home and say "No, thank you?" No, I want you to test the samples we already have for viability and close the doors to any newcomers.
John, you're overreacting.
Shut it down.
I'm sorry.
Bobbie, do me a favor.
I need you to continue to cross-test blood until we find a match for Grace.
But Morrissey said to shut it down.
Morrissey said it wasn't fair.
I'm gonna make it fair.
Excuse me.
Can I have everyone's attention, please? Thank you.
This is Mary.
She's 12-years-old.
And she told her mother she's afraid that she won't live long enough to see herself without braces.
She's been on our kidney-donor list for nine months.
This is Derrick.
Derrick, he plays pee-wee football.
He's 11-years-old and he says he's the best player on his football team.
Says he wants to get better because his team's lost every game since he's gotten sick.
He's been on the waiting list for two years.
This is Cherise.
Cherise is 9-years-old.
And even though she's missed a lot of school, she does her homework every day 'cause she wants to stay in the same grade as her best friend, Yvonne.
And when she was asked what she wants to be when she grows up, she said, "alive.
" So, I have these consent forms that will allow us to use your samples for every child on the kidney-donor list, not just the two girls upstairs that you saw on the internet.
I'm sorry.
Uh, I have a question.
If I sign that form, you can just slap my kidney into anybody? No, not exactly.
That means another child somewhere will live because of your generosity.
Okay, I'm just I'm not clear.
What about the girls from the internet? The only reason why I came here is for those little girls.
I'm sorry.
Well, wait a minute.
Come on, folks.
You all came here for a good reason.
I know that.
This is so important that even Nurse Hawthorne will sign a form herself.
She's not afraid to walk the walk.
Okay.
Okay.
First you.
And then you.
Okay.
I got this one.
Oh, excuse me.
Hi.
I'm Kelly.
Hi.
Hi, Kelly.
It's so nice to meet you.
Nice meeting you.
You are so awesome for coming.
It meant the world to Brian.
Oh, well, he could've fooled me.
Well, obviously he's been through so much with the chemo and going in and out of the hospital, but Oh, well, you know, he's a strong kid, and I'm glad I got a chance to meet him.
Yeah, I'm really happy that I got to meet you, too.
Thank you so much for coming.
Yeah, my pleasure.
Oh! Sorry.
If you don't mind I don't mean to bother you.
Would you take a picture with me? Yeah, no problem.
Great.
Do you mind? No, not at all.
Great.
It's just the big button right there.
Okay.
Thanks.
Ready? Yes.
Smile.
Cheese! Got it.
Awesome.
Thank you so much.
Thank you again so much.
Oh, my pleasure.
Thanks.
I just got a picture with Dwyane Wade.
Good work, Malia.
So, are you guys conserving heat to save money? I know.
You can put your clothes back on as soon as you talk to the doctor.
Oh, no, I'm sorry.
I can't handle any more tests today.
Well, I'm pretty sure they've gotten everything that they need, so it won't be long.
Hey, Walter.
Hello.
How you feeling? Good.
He's basically freezing his tush off.
Well, it paid off.
You're a kidney match for our little girl.
We knew the antigen match was almost perfect, but your CT scans, your X-rays, your EKG, your blood and urine levels all came back at the highest preferred range.
Okay.
Um, so, it's happening? You're gonna take the kidney? Yes, sir, we're good to go.
Um Um, now? She's in respiratory distress and renal failure.
We're prepping the OR right now.
All right.
Um, okay.
Just one quick, um What's the procedure like? What happens? Well, you'll be under general anesthesia.
The surgeon will start by making several small incisions to insert a video telescope.
That's just so they can take a better look inside your abdominal cavity.
How much does it hurt? Well, that's the advantage of the laparoscopic surgery.
You'll only be on painkillers for maybe about four days after and almost fully recovered within a month.
A month? And no scarring.
Uh, no scar? Okay, how does How does it come out? Well, they remove your kidney through a small incision in your naval.
But once they fold it back in, you won't be able to see anything.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Let's do it, I guess.
So you just talked to him? The last hurdle was a psychosocial evaluation.
The interview shows that Walter's intentions are very clear.
Walter.
Hey, now, look.
I'm really, really sorry.
I saw the girl in the video, and I came, but I didn't think that I was actually gonna be a match.
But you are, and Grace is ready right now.
We are not trying to pressure you.
We respect your decision.
This is a miracle, okay? I know.
I know, I know, but I I didn't sign on for a miracle, you know? They said it was gonna be a one-in-a-million chance if they were gonna find a match.
It's not like, "Hey, can I borrow your cellphone?" "Sure.
" What if I give her my kidney, and then later on in life, something happens to mine? Who's gonna do my video? I'm sorry.
I don't want the girl to die, but I can't.
I just I can't.
I'm sorry.
I just got an earful from Brian's mother.
She's pretty upset at the way you spoke to him.
You called him an asshole? No, I called him a jerk.
He's 11.
He's rude.
It's about time somebody called that kid on his crap.
You should thank me.
He has cancer! Yeah, well, I mean, that's always the excuse, isn't it, Kelly? Oh, Walter.
Uh-uh.
No, I'm done.
I'm gonna take off.
No, I just want to wrap up your paperwork.
Look, come on.
I'll get you out of here fast.
Come on.
Okay, let's see here.
All right, Walter Buck.
So, what do you do for a living, Walter? Um, I'm a temp.
Hmm.
Well, what do you want to do? I don't know.
Go back to school.
Business, maybe.
Oh, that sounds cool.
I see you like to keep your options open.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's good.
Don't let anyone pressure you.
Whatever you're gonna do in your life, with your life, that's between you and God.
Don't ever let anyone push you into something.
Okay, I won't, I guess.
Good, because we all get boxed into doing things soon enough.
I see it all the time around here, sudden illnesses, accidents.
And there's a lot of folks hurting.
And fortunately, other people rally.
You know, they pitch in.
Um, I gave blood at 9I11.
Well, so did I.
You know, I give blood every two months.
I even gave bone marrow.
What? Really? Yeah.
I was a match for my nephew.
You know, it wasn't as bad as I thought.
I mean, once I got past the fear, I was fine.
Right, well, it's A kidney's a lot more risk, right? Oh, yeah.
Any major surgery is.
You know, there's bleeding, possible infection.
Right.
There's the chance that my other one could go out.
Well, now, that's a risk.
They tell you to avoid all contact sports but, um, otherwise, you should live a normal life.
Just don't go lifting anything heavy while you're recovering, and get your rest, your checkups.
You make it sound so simple.
But it's not.
It's a huge deal, Walter.
It's something you got to think about.
So take your time, and don't let anybody make this about some cute little girl.
This is about you.
Okay.
Okay, it's just that I have a lot of questions.
Look, why don't we go in my office? And if I can't answer them, I'll find someone who can.
You don't mind, right? Oh, no, sweetie.
We're gonna take all the time you need.
Okay.
Hey.
Hi.
So, I've decided to have the surgery.
What made you change your mind? Well, I was in denial.
I'll call Dr.
Danee tonight.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
She's gonna get that kidney.
Finally.
Who's the donor? A good Samaritan, along with the help of another good Samaritan.
I can't imagine having all three of my children in surgery on the same day.
One big, happy family.
You got a good kid there.
Yeah, I do.
Please tell her thank you.
I'm gonna find you a bed so you can get some sleep.
I'm staying right here.
Of course.
Let me know if you need anything.
All right, look.
Look, I know you're pissed.
You have every right to be.
It's just that I see how early you leave every morning and how tired you are every night.
And now, being there, I see what you do, and without any help, without complaining.
It must be lonely.
I just thought my mom needs some help, and I gave you another headache.
I'm sorry I went at you so hard today.
I get it.
You were just trying to help.
You up for a movie? Only if it's Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington.
What is it with you and Claude Rains? I'll get the popcorn.
Okay.
Hey.
Hey.
Everything okay? Yeah, I just finished up on the transplant.
Everyone's good.
Nice.
Yeah.
It was really weird sitting on the sidelines, watching like a med student, you know? So I've decided to have the surgery.
Why? Well, it's not healing on its own.
But I thought that Yeah, I know, I know.
If something goes wrong, I'll never play the violin again.
Well, it's a good thing I never played the violin before.
Who's doing it? Danee.
And the anesthesiologist? The chief.
I've met him.
When? Next week.
I want you there.
Of course.
Hey, Tom.
Hey, Camille.
Why don't you stay for a little while? Well, it isn't much , but if you insist.
Here's this week's Boy's stuff Oh, come on.
Can't we watch SportsCenter? No? No.
Not so much? What is this? Is this a black-and-white movie? Mmm-hmm.
Now, one look at you, and I can see him back at his old roll-top desk, hat and all, getting out his paper.
Clayton Smith, Editor and Publisher and champion of lost causes.
I need your vacancies so I can bring some Peds cases up and give Gail some breathing room.
We're full.
What do you mean, you're full? When did that happen? We got two admits last night on the night shift.
Who? Good morning, John.
Easy for you to say.
Are the twins here? Yes, the night-shift admits.
Okay.
They're in room 737, Gretchen and Grace Breton, nine-years-old, both suffering from polycystic kidney disease.
One's suffering from edema.
The other had shortness of breath.
And they both need dialysis.
Identical twins in need of kidney transplant.
They're been waiting for over a year.
They already have one match, the brother.
Two little girls and one kidney? It's an impossible choice.
You're damn right.
How's a mother supposed to choose which daughter she's gonna save? Anything you can do to make them more comfortable, I appreciate it.
Comfortable, okay.
I'm putting you and Tom on point.
Let me know if there's anything you need.
Okay.
Kelly, I'm gonna need your help with this.
Yeah, no problem.
All right.
Hey.
How's your arm? It's healing up nicely.
Any pain? No.
What's Dr.
Danee saying? That it's all looking really good.
Listen, um I don't think Camille's gonna be home tonight.
I thought maybe we could watch a movie, Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington.
You know how much I love Claude Rains.
I wanted to get married, not watch a movie.
We really should see this family.
And it's another king.
Hello.
Hi, I'm Dr.
Wakefield.
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.
I'm Christina Hawthorne, Director of Nursing.
Hi.
Hi.
Hello.
Hey.
Okay.
I'm gonna put on my thinking cap, okay? Now, I have not missed a name in 20 years.
All right, here we go.
Gretchen, Grace.
I'm Gretchen.
I'm Grace.
Ooh, I was this close.
Should we step outside? Have you found a donor? I've had so many of these conversations.
There are no secrets here.
And we've heard all the speeches, and we know the stats.
We're gonna do everything we can for your family.
We're gonna make your stay here as comfortable as possible.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
All right, girls, we'll see you later, okay? All right, your move.
So, I checked the registry.
It's a nine-month wait for a kidney.
Oh.
It'll be a little crazier up here than I thought.
True Wishes Project is sending this basketball player, Dwyane Wade, up to meet one of our patients, Brian.
And who's covering Brian? I am.
You know what? You got your hands full with the twins.
Malia, do me a favor.
Cover Brian for her? Oh, yeah, Brian.
He's my favorite.
Thanks.
Uh, hey, what can I help with? Hey, you know what? Why don't help Kelly with her family? They're gonna need as much attention as possible.
Yeah, I could use the help.
So stick close to Kelly and do as she says.
You know me.
I do know you.
That's why I'm saying stick close to Kelly and do as she says.
Gloria is the contact person at True Wishes.
That's her number.
Dwyane doesn't have a lot of time, so I really need you to stay on top of that.
Yeah, you talk to me like I'm incapable of doing anything right.
It's really starting to irritate me.
It's just like a PR job, basically.
Yeah.
That's my forte.
So you need to greet Dwyane, make sure he knows where he's going, make sure Brian has the time of his life, the whole thing.
Can you handle that? Yeah, I've hung out with celebrities before.
It's no big deal.
Call Gloria if you have any questions.
All right, you ready to help me out? Can't I just stay here? I'm not really good with kids.
What if I say the wrong thing? You can't.
You just have to say what you feel and make sure they know it's gonna be okay.
You'll do great.
Don't' panic.
Let's go.
She'll be here soon.
Mama.
Yeah, baby doll? Hey.
How are we doing in here? Her catheter's irritating her.
Okay, I'll take care of that right away.
Hey, sweetie, let me see.
Okay.
My dad was white, too.
You know, it's tough being biracial for transplants.
You know, it's hard to get a donor.
Lots of minorities don't want to donate given our history with the healthcare system.
But we're still hanging on.
God has a plan for us.
Right, babies? Gretchen should be fine now, so if you need anything else, just call.
So, Gretchen will get this kidney? Yeah, that's the plan.
But if Grace is so sick, then doesn't she need it more? Well, Grace is in respiratory distress.
So, in her state, the chances of rejection are higher, so the surgery's a higher risk for her.
Uh, I don't know.
It doesn't feel right.
Well, we're still looking for a match for Grace, you know.
What if you don't find one? Let's just take one step at a time.
Let's take care of you and Gretchen first, okay? Take both of my kidneys.
Well, we can't do that.
No, take them both.
Keep me on dialysis.
I'll wait for a donor.
Michael, it doesn't work like that.
I can handle it.
I can handle it.
But they have been through so much.
So go ahead.
Take them both.
You can't put all of this on yourself, you know.
Trust me.
We will do absolutely everything we can for both of them.
You'll be there, right? You'll make sure Gretchen's okay? Well, I'm not really performing that many surgeries these days, but, yeah, I'll be there.
And I'll make sure they get it right.
Where the hell is Kelly? Ugh.
A prosthetic leg? Really? Never noticed that.
You are so full of it.
Can I ask you how you lost it? Joyriding on my brother's motorcycle.
I was 17.
I thought you said you only had a sister.
I don't like to talk about it.
You two can pick the bugs out of each other's fur after hours.
We're shorthanded today.
Uh, Gail? This man's here about donating a kidney.
You sure he's got the right hospital? Is this about the twins up on Peds? Hospital escort to outpatient surgery.
Hospital escort to outpatient surgery.
Hey, Bobbie, what are all these people doing here? Potential donors.
Marcus, do we have any extra rooms to draw blood? I don't have room for my patients.
He's secondary.
Secondary? ER stands for emergency room.
The lab techs can't handle this load.
Those people are gonna have to get their blood drawn someplace else.
Come here, sir.
Here.
Sit right here.
I'll have somebody with you in a second, okay? Bobbie, how did all these people get here? The Internet.
Uh, you didn't see? See what? Your girl did you proud.
Excuse me? Check it out.
Hey, guys.
It's time to make a video.
We're gonna try to get you some kidneys.
My name is Grace.
And your name? Gretchen.
Can you sing something for me, anything? # Twinkle, twinkle, little stars # How I wonder what you are No playgrounds, no play dates, no sleepovers.
Just hospital beds and dialysis machines.
# How I wonder what you are # Oh, that was beautiful.
Please help.
Become a kidney donor today at James River.
Say bye, guys.
Bye.
Bye.
Do you know where I can get tested to see if my kidneys are healthy enough to donate? Yes.
You see those doors? Right through there.
Excuse me, ma'am.
Please come on over here.
Thanks for coming.
Bobbie, can you help her? Yeah.
You know, you can't just stage an impromptu donor drive.
You got to tell me something.
Gail, if I knew about this, don't you think I would have? Yeah, but if this doesn't work out, it's gonna be my ass.
Excuse me.
Excuse me.
Thank you, everyone, for coming.
We understand how valuable your time is.
We're just getting a few things situated, and then we'll see everybody as soon as possible.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I get what you did.
I even appreciate it, okay? Good job.
But don't ever do that again.
But all these people Camille, this is a lot.
Besides, I told you to stay in Peds with Kelly and do what Kelly says.
Did Kelly tell you to do this? No.
Exactly.
Go ahead.
We'll talk about this later.
Well, that blows.
I mean, what kind of operation are you running anyway? Well, I don't go around promising Dwyane Wade to cancer kids and then canceling, lady.
You should be ashamed of yourself.
Whore.
Is Dwyane here? Bad news.
He can't make it.
What? Yeah, they said his flight was snowed in.
Sorry.
Well, did he say some other time, or You know, these ball players are pretty busy.
Did you say something to screw this up for me? Hey, you should've heard me on the phone.
I was fighting for you.
No big deal.
Yeah, that's it.
Don't let this get you down.
You got bigger problems than this, right? Oh, what is it, dear? What? You know, I can't hear you over the jackhammering! I'm sorry! We're trying to fix it! It's Johnson! No, no, no! It's for Johnson! Yes! Oh, there we go.
Okay, yes, sir.
No, well, we can barely hear ourselves, so Hello? Hello? How long is this supposed to go on? They said two days, but I don't think my nerves can take it! Yeah, well, my patient can't take it! No, and they're blasting a hole in the wall next door! It's for the It's the only way to get the MRI into the suite, and You mean the crate from the parking lot? It's Erin's pet project or something! Ray! Ray! Tom.
Hi.
Hey.
You good? Yeah.
Just have my hands full with these twin transplants.
How's it going with Dr.
Danee? Great.
You know, I spoke to him, and, um, he said that you aren't returning his phone calls.
Yeah, I'm, uh I'm seeing someone else.
The swelling has gone down.
I've regained full mobility.
What about your surgery? Don't see the need.
I'm just parched.
Would you mind opening this for me? You're not healing.
Yeah, well, this surgery could make things worse.
It could cause irreparable damage and kill my career.
Well, so could putting it off any longer.
Erin, I appreciate your help.
I really do.
But I am in the middle of a no-win case, and I don't mean to be rude, but I am not gonna have that surgery.
I think I got a fix.
I dated this guy that does something in basketball.
And I just called him, and he said he's gonna try to find a replacement for Wade.
Uh, I think you should call him back and just let the True Wishes people figure something else out, you know? Well, it can't hurt.
Brian really wants to meet Dwyane Wade.
Who knows? Maybe the storm will clear up.
Okay, well, it better happen quick, 'cause that kid looks like he's getting ready to check out.
You have a real way with words.
Christina.
Lab asked me to rush this down to you.
What is it? Mind your business.
Come on.
My buddy in the lab told me they found a match.
Really? They can prep one of the girls tonight, then get the kidney from the brother in the morning.
So by this time tomorrow, both girls got their transplant.
We found a match.
It's true.
We found a donor.
They did it! It's gonna be okay! They found a match! Just got the medical history on our kidney donor.
She had cancer several years ago.
Damn.
Kidney's not viable.
It's Grace.
We need help! She's stopped breathing.
Grace, Grace, are you okay? Pulse dropped to 76.
BP is 70 over 40.
Okay, Kelly, let's get her a room up in the ICU and give her some etomidate.
Is she gonna be all right? We're gonna put her on a ventilator to help her breathe.
Is she breathing now? We're gonna do everything we can.
She should get that operation now.
She needs that kidney now.
I know you have the match.
What are you waiting for? What match? The match! That short-haired girl, the volunteer, she told me.
Please, my baby needs that kidney now! That's not an option.
We need to get her to the ICU.
Are you crazy? You took it upon yourself to give this woman information.
Medical information, which is illegal.
And on top of that, you don't even know what you're talking about? Camille, look at me when I am talking to you.
That is the most unprofessional, irresponsible thing you have ever done.
What the hell were you thinking about? I don't want you talking to not a family member, not a parent, nobody.
Do you understand me? You have no idea what I have to do to clean this up.
Christina, Christina.
Please.
Camille, give us a second.
No! Give us a second.
Thank you.
Tom, don't you ever do that again.
Do not undermine me in front of my child.
Come on.
She made a mistake, okay? I'm not gonna sit here and listen to you crucify her for doing the type of thing you do every single day.
You want to pick a fight with someone, pick a fight with me.
Come on, please.
No, I'm serious.
You want to fight with someone, fight with me.
I've got a few things I'd like to fight with you about.
Ow! Are you crazy? My arm's broken! I'm sorry.
I'm so What is wrong with you? I didn't think it would hurt.
It's in a You didn't think my arm's broken? All right.
It's in a cast! I didn't know! Because it's broken.
What's the matter with you? I really was trying to play.
I'm sorry.
Oh, my God, you are completely crazy.
You're right.
I'm tripping.
Okay.
What am I gonna tell this woman? I'll take care of it.
Come on.
Brian.
Say hello to John Sully.
That's Salley.
John Salley.
Nice to meet you, Brian.
How you doin'? I heard about your little mix-up with Dwyane Wade.
You know, I was in town, so I decided to stop by, check you out.
Isn't that great? You're a very brave young man.
I mean, a true inspiration.
You know, you don't need to be impressed with me.
I'm the one that's lucky and humbled to know you.
Who are you? I'm, uh, John Salley.
Aren't you an announcer? Oh, no, no, before that, two millenniums, three decades, three teams, four championships.
You remember I played with the Pistons, the Bulls, the Lakers? Were you injured a lot, 'cause I don't remember you playing? Oh, no, I was a role player.
Very important part of the team, though.
Sounds like you got on the right team at the right time.
Wow.
Let me explain something to you.
I get this all the time.
Michael Jordan and Kobe couldn't have won those championships without me.
You know Kobe? Yeah, I know Kobe.
Well, can you call him? Hey, Stewie, how about showing a little gratitude? Yeah, come on, kid.
I'm here to make your wish come true.
Oh, excuse me! Excuse me! You can't come in here! This is a clean area, and you're bringing dust and then whatever the hell that is! No! All right.
Get out of my ICU and stop your Jackhammering now! Uh, Candy, I don't think you can really do that.
Okay, you know what, Ray? Look, get out of here now or I will make you a patient! All right, shut it down! Guys, take 10! We just completed the medical history on the donor match.
Several years ago, she had breast cancer.
Is she fully recovered? Yes, but, as you know, this particular type of cancer generally disqualifies people from donating.
But she's healthy now.
We can't risk giving a kidney that could become cancerous.
But we are still testing people downstairs, and we'll find someone.
We already found someone.
I'm not leaving this hospital without both of my daughters.
Now give my baby that damn kidney.
Sir, I understand your predicament, but this is out of my hands.
Well, then, whose hands is it in? Hers, right there.
Nurse Hawthorne.
I'm sorry.
Is there a problem? This man saw the video about the twins needing a donor.
Yeah, my son's been waiting for three years.
I hear they've been on for a year.
Why do they get to go to the head of the line? Why? Is it because they look cute on video? Can someone explain to me why these girls are getting preference over my boy? Sir Excuse me.
I'm John Morrissey, CEO of the hospital.
Can we talk about this in my office? Dude looks upset.
Yeah, he is.
Listen, you guys have any coffee around here, or a Starbucks nearby? Are you a potential donor? Yeah, doing it for the cute kids.
Well, coffee's the last thing you want.
We have water, cold, room temp, warm, and ice chips.
Okay, thank you.
All right.
There, see? That's me.
my rookie year.
I scored Eh, it's pretty blurry.
We didn't have HD back then, kid, you know.
But, hey, check out this move.
Check out this move! I was killing it that night! That doesn't look like you.
Use some imagination, kid.
All right.
This is me imagining you're Dwyane Wade.
Jokes.
Okay, this is right here, this is when I was with the Chicago Bulls.
The shorts are kind of tight, but, you know, that was in style that year.
Sure.
I heard you were having a problem with the work next door.
Yeah, the noise is driving the patients crazy, and then the workers just keep coming right through.
Well, they're not supposed to do that.
They're supposed to go around and enter the site through the back stairs.
These patients are critical care.
Look, if we have to vacate the ICU for a few days, we'll just use some beds in, uh, in recovery.
We just have to We have to soldier through this.
I don't think you know the first thing about soldiering.
Candy.
Look, this is the only way to get the MRI into the building.
Yeah, I don't care.
Figure out something else.
Hold on, sir.
It's incessant hammering, okay? Maybe we could do That's gonna add at least another day.
It'll give us a chance to keep our sanity.
Fine.
Thanks, Marcus.
Everyone, I want to just say again, thank you for your patience.
When I saw those poor little girls online, I knew we had to do something.
Here you go, sir.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
All right.
Christina, a group of parents with children on the transplant list are filing a motion to force us to test these samples against every child on the waiting list.
What is this? They have started a website posting their children's pictures and bios on it, and they are attacking us pretty aggressively.
By law, a donor can give to whomever they want, which means we will win in the court of law.
But we will be slaughtered in the court of public opinion.
They'll think that we're being unfair.
I just wish I had known about this little drive.
Well, me too.
This is why the list was established in the first place.
These are our patients.
We do not discriminate.
We do not prioritize based on how upsetting something looks on YouTube.
Morrissey, you gave me this case, remember? I asked you to spearhead this case, not open our doors as a major transplant center.
Well, now we've got people out here that are willing to sacrifice themselves for strangers, and now you're telling me you want me to just send them home and say "No, thank you?" No, I want you to test the samples we already have for viability and close the doors to any newcomers.
John, you're overreacting.
Shut it down.
I'm sorry.
Bobbie, do me a favor.
I need you to continue to cross-test blood until we find a match for Grace.
But Morrissey said to shut it down.
Morrissey said it wasn't fair.
I'm gonna make it fair.
Excuse me.
Can I have everyone's attention, please? Thank you.
This is Mary.
She's 12-years-old.
And she told her mother she's afraid that she won't live long enough to see herself without braces.
She's been on our kidney-donor list for nine months.
This is Derrick.
Derrick, he plays pee-wee football.
He's 11-years-old and he says he's the best player on his football team.
Says he wants to get better because his team's lost every game since he's gotten sick.
He's been on the waiting list for two years.
This is Cherise.
Cherise is 9-years-old.
And even though she's missed a lot of school, she does her homework every day 'cause she wants to stay in the same grade as her best friend, Yvonne.
And when she was asked what she wants to be when she grows up, she said, "alive.
" So, I have these consent forms that will allow us to use your samples for every child on the kidney-donor list, not just the two girls upstairs that you saw on the internet.
I'm sorry.
Uh, I have a question.
If I sign that form, you can just slap my kidney into anybody? No, not exactly.
That means another child somewhere will live because of your generosity.
Okay, I'm just I'm not clear.
What about the girls from the internet? The only reason why I came here is for those little girls.
I'm sorry.
Well, wait a minute.
Come on, folks.
You all came here for a good reason.
I know that.
This is so important that even Nurse Hawthorne will sign a form herself.
She's not afraid to walk the walk.
Okay.
Okay.
First you.
And then you.
Okay.
I got this one.
Oh, excuse me.
Hi.
I'm Kelly.
Hi.
Hi, Kelly.
It's so nice to meet you.
Nice meeting you.
You are so awesome for coming.
It meant the world to Brian.
Oh, well, he could've fooled me.
Well, obviously he's been through so much with the chemo and going in and out of the hospital, but Oh, well, you know, he's a strong kid, and I'm glad I got a chance to meet him.
Yeah, I'm really happy that I got to meet you, too.
Thank you so much for coming.
Yeah, my pleasure.
Oh! Sorry.
If you don't mind I don't mean to bother you.
Would you take a picture with me? Yeah, no problem.
Great.
Do you mind? No, not at all.
Great.
It's just the big button right there.
Okay.
Thanks.
Ready? Yes.
Smile.
Cheese! Got it.
Awesome.
Thank you so much.
Thank you again so much.
Oh, my pleasure.
Thanks.
I just got a picture with Dwyane Wade.
Good work, Malia.
So, are you guys conserving heat to save money? I know.
You can put your clothes back on as soon as you talk to the doctor.
Oh, no, I'm sorry.
I can't handle any more tests today.
Well, I'm pretty sure they've gotten everything that they need, so it won't be long.
Hey, Walter.
Hello.
How you feeling? Good.
He's basically freezing his tush off.
Well, it paid off.
You're a kidney match for our little girl.
We knew the antigen match was almost perfect, but your CT scans, your X-rays, your EKG, your blood and urine levels all came back at the highest preferred range.
Okay.
Um, so, it's happening? You're gonna take the kidney? Yes, sir, we're good to go.
Um Um, now? She's in respiratory distress and renal failure.
We're prepping the OR right now.
All right.
Um, okay.
Just one quick, um What's the procedure like? What happens? Well, you'll be under general anesthesia.
The surgeon will start by making several small incisions to insert a video telescope.
That's just so they can take a better look inside your abdominal cavity.
How much does it hurt? Well, that's the advantage of the laparoscopic surgery.
You'll only be on painkillers for maybe about four days after and almost fully recovered within a month.
A month? And no scarring.
Uh, no scar? Okay, how does How does it come out? Well, they remove your kidney through a small incision in your naval.
But once they fold it back in, you won't be able to see anything.
Okay.
Okay.
Okay.
Let's do it, I guess.
So you just talked to him? The last hurdle was a psychosocial evaluation.
The interview shows that Walter's intentions are very clear.
Walter.
Hey, now, look.
I'm really, really sorry.
I saw the girl in the video, and I came, but I didn't think that I was actually gonna be a match.
But you are, and Grace is ready right now.
We are not trying to pressure you.
We respect your decision.
This is a miracle, okay? I know.
I know, I know, but I I didn't sign on for a miracle, you know? They said it was gonna be a one-in-a-million chance if they were gonna find a match.
It's not like, "Hey, can I borrow your cellphone?" "Sure.
" What if I give her my kidney, and then later on in life, something happens to mine? Who's gonna do my video? I'm sorry.
I don't want the girl to die, but I can't.
I just I can't.
I'm sorry.
I just got an earful from Brian's mother.
She's pretty upset at the way you spoke to him.
You called him an asshole? No, I called him a jerk.
He's 11.
He's rude.
It's about time somebody called that kid on his crap.
You should thank me.
He has cancer! Yeah, well, I mean, that's always the excuse, isn't it, Kelly? Oh, Walter.
Uh-uh.
No, I'm done.
I'm gonna take off.
No, I just want to wrap up your paperwork.
Look, come on.
I'll get you out of here fast.
Come on.
Okay, let's see here.
All right, Walter Buck.
So, what do you do for a living, Walter? Um, I'm a temp.
Hmm.
Well, what do you want to do? I don't know.
Go back to school.
Business, maybe.
Oh, that sounds cool.
I see you like to keep your options open.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's good.
Don't let anyone pressure you.
Whatever you're gonna do in your life, with your life, that's between you and God.
Don't ever let anyone push you into something.
Okay, I won't, I guess.
Good, because we all get boxed into doing things soon enough.
I see it all the time around here, sudden illnesses, accidents.
And there's a lot of folks hurting.
And fortunately, other people rally.
You know, they pitch in.
Um, I gave blood at 9I11.
Well, so did I.
You know, I give blood every two months.
I even gave bone marrow.
What? Really? Yeah.
I was a match for my nephew.
You know, it wasn't as bad as I thought.
I mean, once I got past the fear, I was fine.
Right, well, it's A kidney's a lot more risk, right? Oh, yeah.
Any major surgery is.
You know, there's bleeding, possible infection.
Right.
There's the chance that my other one could go out.
Well, now, that's a risk.
They tell you to avoid all contact sports but, um, otherwise, you should live a normal life.
Just don't go lifting anything heavy while you're recovering, and get your rest, your checkups.
You make it sound so simple.
But it's not.
It's a huge deal, Walter.
It's something you got to think about.
So take your time, and don't let anybody make this about some cute little girl.
This is about you.
Okay.
Okay, it's just that I have a lot of questions.
Look, why don't we go in my office? And if I can't answer them, I'll find someone who can.
You don't mind, right? Oh, no, sweetie.
We're gonna take all the time you need.
Okay.
Hey.
Hi.
So, I've decided to have the surgery.
What made you change your mind? Well, I was in denial.
I'll call Dr.
Danee tonight.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
She's gonna get that kidney.
Finally.
Who's the donor? A good Samaritan, along with the help of another good Samaritan.
I can't imagine having all three of my children in surgery on the same day.
One big, happy family.
You got a good kid there.
Yeah, I do.
Please tell her thank you.
I'm gonna find you a bed so you can get some sleep.
I'm staying right here.
Of course.
Let me know if you need anything.
All right, look.
Look, I know you're pissed.
You have every right to be.
It's just that I see how early you leave every morning and how tired you are every night.
And now, being there, I see what you do, and without any help, without complaining.
It must be lonely.
I just thought my mom needs some help, and I gave you another headache.
I'm sorry I went at you so hard today.
I get it.
You were just trying to help.
You up for a movie? Only if it's Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington.
What is it with you and Claude Rains? I'll get the popcorn.
Okay.
Hey.
Hey.
Everything okay? Yeah, I just finished up on the transplant.
Everyone's good.
Nice.
Yeah.
It was really weird sitting on the sidelines, watching like a med student, you know? So I've decided to have the surgery.
Why? Well, it's not healing on its own.
But I thought that Yeah, I know, I know.
If something goes wrong, I'll never play the violin again.
Well, it's a good thing I never played the violin before.
Who's doing it? Danee.
And the anesthesiologist? The chief.
I've met him.
When? Next week.
I want you there.
Of course.
Hey, Tom.
Hey, Camille.
Why don't you stay for a little while? Well, it isn't much , but if you insist.
Here's this week's Boy's stuff Oh, come on.
Can't we watch SportsCenter? No? No.
Not so much? What is this? Is this a black-and-white movie? Mmm-hmm.
Now, one look at you, and I can see him back at his old roll-top desk, hat and all, getting out his paper.
Clayton Smith, Editor and Publisher and champion of lost causes.