In 1952, an epidemic was sweeping through the United States and much of the world. Ben Levinson, a twenty-three-year-old medical student was in its path. Would he be able to complete his medical education, his goal since he was a boy? Would he be a victim or a hero? With his body forever compromised, how could he fulfill his dreams to have a happy personal life and his determination to become a physician? Accepting the facts and allowing the support of his whole family and very special new friends, Ben tackled his disease even as he watched others enabled to avoid it. He became known as "the pediatrician's pediatrician," and like his Uncle Abraham, he delivered optimal care to children of the inner-city poor. Most of all, he was respected for his resilience in the face of adversity.