Original subtitles

Marnie has a serious chest infection,

and it seems that it's more severe

than any she's ever had before.

I think you should prepare yourselves

for the possibility

that Marnie's life will not be a full one.

I think there might be something wrong.

She's deteriorating rapidly.

Marnie's had a cardiac arrest.

As a result of this, she might have some brain damage.

Does Marnie get prescribed diazepam?

Hannah, don't be suggesting...

I'm just joking. Maybe.

Is she gonna die, Dad?

She's been dying for a long time.

The hospital said they wanna stop treatment.

They don't get to decide what to do.

She's our child.

Promise me that you will fight for her.

I will fight with everything I've got.

I went to the supermarket and I bought a potato,

a banana, a remote control car,

a packet of crisps

and a fishing rod.

A fishing rod! I like that. Okay, George hit us with it.

I went to the supermarket and I bought

a potato, a banana,

er... a remote control car,

a packet of crisps, oh, a fishing rod...

...erm...

and a... packet of condoms.

Okay, George.

-Keep it clean. -Condoms are clean.

Let's change that for a packet of balloons, please.

A packet of balloons.

He's a terror.

Oh, he's pretty funny, though.

He thinks he's funnier than he is.

I dunno. A solid gag merchant, I'd say.

He... er, he wants to ask her out.

What?

Your Marnie. He wants

-to ask her out to the cinema. -Oh!

Okay.

Well. She doesn't really talk about boys, I'm afraid.

Well, he doesn't stop talking about her.

"There's this girl in class. She's really fit."

Ah, that's nice.

So you wouldn't mind then, if he did ask her?

I, I think they're a bit young, you know.

How long's yours got?

Just let them live while they can.

That's always been my motto.

Well, I, I'd like her to just be 11.

Please. I think he needs it.

I think she'd like it, too.

Good morning to you.

Morning.

Good morning, Marnie.

Well, good.

Everything is entirely as expected.

I will see you again.

We'll be here.

Charlie is a 14-year-old boy.

Hello, Charlie.

This is day 18 of his admission.

His problems include raised intracranial pressure,

haemodynamic instability and electrolyte imbalance.

-CTs? -His last CT was concerning

and his MRI shows severe diffuse axonal injury.

-Next steps? -He's unresponsive.

Dr Maseley and I are discussing next steps with his family.

Last we have Elena.

She's six years old.

She came in two weeks ago

with a chest infection and needed to be intubated.

But she's responding well to antibiotics.

Hello, Elena, I'm gonna put my cold hand on your belly.

Let's see if it makes you jump.

No jumping. Very impressive.

Sit up for me gently. Thank you, darling.

We are here to consider the benefit, burden,

welfare and best interests of the patient.

Samantha, Marnie Lloyd is your patient.

Shall we start with quality of life?

Thank you. Marnie has a rare form

of congenital muscular dystrophy with an atypical profile.

She has been with us for eight weeks this time

following a lower respiratory tract infection

complicated by pneumothorax and prolonged hypoxic arrest.

What about since this last admission?

She has hypoxic ischemic brain damage

as a consequence of her cardiac arrest.

She has severe neurological impairment

and we can't wean her off the ventilator.

So is it possible to make an assessment

of her quality of life?

Well, she can't communicate.

She has no awareness of her surroundings,

and though, potentially, she might feel pain

and discomfort, she is largely unresponsive

other than withdrawal from painful stimuli.

I'd agree with that.

What about this possibility of a tracheostomy?

In my opinion, er,

any treatment we give her,

she is not going to leave the hospital again.

But I think it's worth saying that the parents

are desperate for us to give it a try.

She is a kind girl, always funny,

always a joy to be around,

but if we could help her, really help her,

we would.

But we can't.

Can we, Mercy?

It's beyond my pay grade, I think.

What does that mean?

Er, how much time have we given...

-Sorry. -...Marnie and the family

-to make this decision? -Erm,

we had the first conversation

eight weeks ago when she was admitted.

Since then, she had her cardiac arrest

and is showing no signs of neurological improvement.

And the parents are firmly opposed

-to any cessation of treatment? -Yes.

These are impossible decisions for parents to make.

A simple question,

but one of the most important ones in medicine,

is it in Marnie's best interests to continue ventilation

or not?

Hi.

Hey, I haven't brushed my teeth, and...

And yet you smell of nectarines.

Come on.

Yeah.

Thanks.

Hey.

-Coffee? -Er, no, I'm fine.

Have a seat, please.

So, the hospital ethics committee have met.

Sounds suspiciously cultish.

Oh, yes,

it does sound like that, doesn't it?

Their guidance to me

was that they support my clinical judgement.

Right, well, that's not a surprise.

Marnie is not responding in a way

that suggests any conscious experience.

-In your opinion. -That's medical science...

Well, is it medical science that brains can't recover?

There is always a possibility for improvement,

but in this case it's severely unlikely.

Marnie has broken those odds every year of her life.

She has shown clear movement...

And I'm afraid that we haven't observed any for a while.

No, I have seen movement. We, we...

when we played her music, recently,

and she, she showed, her heart rate slowed...

Relaxing classics on Spotify.

We're not sure what might have prompted that.

But we have seen it in other patients

in similar conditions. As to what you observed

that was likely an involuntary reflex.

Certainly, we have seen nothing like it since.

Nicci, Andrew, I care for Marnie very much but, well,

are you still in disagreement with the decision?

Yes.

So, that means that the hospital would like to suggest

that this now goes to a mediation process.

An independent mediator will be appointed

and we can take it from there.

Will, will a mediator make you change your mind?

It's useful in challenging how everyone's thinking.

The mediator has no stakes in this case,

-and is more likely to... -Will it lead to you

deciding to keep our daughter alive?

I believe that I have made the right clinical decision.

But mediators have highlighted mistakes in process.

Process, so not end result. So, no, it won't.

Your ethics committee are wrong.

You are wrong.

And I have no interest in any of this.

I'll see what I can do.

Fuck!

Samantha, I've got an update for you...

Please don't say anything.

I always love the pre-emptive putsch in an argument.

You said nothing in the room.

Because you were breathing in all available oxygen.

She's always been a thorough and kind doctor.

Yeah. And you've always fancied her.

Oh, come on!

Just don't make me the unreasonable one.

Okay? You do that, and I hate it.

So don't do it.

I'm putting on Radio 4.

Hi!

Hi.

-Hey. -Hey. I didn't know

if you guys wanted dinner. I cooked pasta.

You cooked pasta?

Dad, I already don't like your tone of voice.

-It's just pasta. -Mwah.

Ooh. It has bacon in it.

I've cooked before. Don't make this weird.

I think we've some garlic bread in the freezer.

I'm gonna have bacon pasta,

with melted cheese and garlic bread.

Er, I'm gonna go for a shower.

Wha... What do I wear to this thing tonight?

Oh, not your slinky black number again.

Poor headmaster didn't know where to look.

And the deputy head did know and really shouldn't have.

Wear your green dress.

Yeah, yeah. Okay. Thanks.

Hmm.

Argh, it's bad news from the hospital.

They've decided that... erm... they've backed her.

They want it over.

-I want to wear my orange top. -All right. This one?

-Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. -Okay.

-With the jeans with the pocket. -Mm-hmm.

And my Doc Martens.

-The red one. -Oh. Good idea.

Okay.

And I, erm,

I'd like to wear some makeup.

Oh!

Okay. What were you thinking?

I want smokey eyes.

Like Elicia Shadow.

Who's Elicia Shadow?

Look.

Hi, guys, this is Elicia Shadow

and welcome back to my channel.

So, in today's video I'm gonna be

showing you how to get the smokey eye...

Oh! Who are you watching these with?

Katie. Doesn't it look great?

Yeah. Yeah.

Erm, look, I'll tell you what, I'll make a deal with you.

I will put everything you want on your face

but then, you know, at the end,

if one of us decides, you know, less is more,

I'm allowed to just wipe it all off.

-Okay. -Okay.

-And I get a veto. -Okay.

no can't stop it

no can't stop it

tap tap beat tap

Okay, So have a look.

Okay.

Hey.

Hey. Don't. Please don't cry.

Don't cry. You'll ruin your makeup.

Please don't use your veto.

I won't.

Nicci?

Just a minute.

Let's try and put on a show. For Katie. If we can.

Yeah. Agreed.

Still got your socks on.

Why are you being weird?

It's gonna be shit.

Do you not think I know that?

So, d'you bring them?

Yeah.

I thought the idea was we'd, erm...

like, do it together?

Yeah, and we will.

Play well, okay?

Oh, my God,

that smell takes you back, doesn't it?

What is it?

Odour de School.

Cabbage, corned beef and confused hand jobs.

Deputy head's spotted you.

You should just wear a brown paper bag.

It's the only way to contain the man.

-Hey. -Hi.

-You came. -Yeah, well,

Hannah sort of insisted that we, er...

Oh, yeah. Nice. Not humiliating at all.

I think she misses the place, you know.

Ex-queen bee round here.

Well, I mean. It's a big do.

The thing to look out for is if Mr Glenny comes on stage

eating Maltesers before he conducts.

-Ah, so if he does... -He's drunk.

-Yeah. -Oh, that's clever, really,

because, you know Polo mints

you'd sort of guess, wouldn't you?

But Maltesers is much more subtle. I like it. I do.

-It's on silent, yeah? -Yeah.

Give me the car keys.

Give me the car keys! Or you come.

We're here, Marnie, you're okay.

Turn the oxygen up.

We're here, Marnie.

Saturation is one hundred.

Ready for the big date? Looking good.

The makeup?

YouTube.

Okay, a few things we need to discuss.

First things first. Boys smell.

-Thank you, Dad. -Secondly, they're mean.

-No they're not. -And third thing,

I wash regularly.

-He doesn't. -I'm not mean,

and I will need reassurance at all times

that I am the most important boy in your life.

-Okay, Dad. -Okay, now, is that a yes?

-Yes. -Okay, then I can start the car.

See? Simple as that.

You ready ready?

They can't sit together, I'm afraid.

But that's ridiculous.

It's company policy.

Well, then you need to, need to change something.

How hard is it to remove one of these seats?

-I don't have the authorization. -Well, we can do it.

Just looks like a screwdriver job. You got a screwdriver?

She's actually pretty good at DIY.

Dad, we, we don't mind.

Yeah, we don't mind.

Dad, please.

Yes, get in.

All hail my son,

Emperor Nero.

-Nero, Nero, Nero. -Ruler of the Roman Empire.

I took a girl on a date once

to see The Remains of the Day.

She kept trying to kiss me.

But the film was too good.

What? You just cut her dead?

No. I asked her on a date again.

This time I took her to Schindler's List.

I never really thought through the whole cinema date game.

This is nice.

It's Mercy.

She's stable.

What was it?

A seizure. A bad one.

So now her brain? Jesus...

What? How did... how did it...

It's likely because of the hypoxia

and the extent of the brain damage.

So, will this happen more often now?

We're just cleaning her up. You'll be able to see her soon.

-- Hi. -- Hello.

We're here, Marnie.

Hey.

You gave us a real fright there.

Can you squeeze my hand, honey?

Marnie, will you give my hand a squeeze?

Do you want to read some Adrian Mole?

I think I can feel her smiling.

You know, just in her eyes. A bit.

Okay.

All right.

"Friday, February 12th,

"Ah, I'm not sure how I will vote.

"Sometimes I think Mrs Thatcher is a nice, kind, sort of woman."

This is not too old for her, no?

No.

"Then the next day I see her on television

"and she frightens me rigid.

"She's got eyes like a psychotic killer

"with a voice like a gentle person.

"It's a bit confusing."

No, your embouchure's all wrong.

My embouchure? God, get you.

Erm, put your lips together.

-What, like a fish? -No.

-Make an 'em' noise. -Emmmmm.

You're being a dick.

Okay, no, "em".

And then you sort of stuff your lips inside the inner rim.

Hmm. Now, where have I heard that before?

You're allowed to be pissed off with them

for missing your show.

Yeah. I'm... I'm fine.

Let's go up to my room.

Well, I do prefer your room.

Oh! Oh!

Hi! I wasn't expecting...

Uh, yeah. I thought I should stay.

You know, she's a bit worried, you know.

It's kind. Yeah, it's, it's kind of you.

And is she... Marnie, I mean?

Er...

seizure, you know.

Er, can I give you a lift home or are you staying?

I'm sorry. I feel like I should be giving you a hug

or something, but that would probably be a bit weird.

I'm okay, Hannah.

You know, or weed?

I've got some weed.

And don't pretend you don't smoke

because you know I have nostrils.

And it's probably better than that shit you get.

Yeah, well, I doubt that very much.

Erm, is Katie okay?

Because she doesn't want to come to the hospital.

Oh, no, she's fine. Strong.

Look, it's, it's a nice night.

You know, I can walk home.

Okay.

Ah, sorry. I, I just didn't want you

waking and not knowing. She's okay.

Good.

Gutted to miss your gig.

It was one of our best.

Oh. Rub it in, why don't you?

He got through three packets of Maltesers.

-Jesus. That good? -Yeah.

Hannah got you home okay?

-She just left. -Oh, yeah.

Nice girl, I think.

A bit strange.

Not that strange.

She just doesn't have anyone her own age to hang around with.

You were always kind to waifs and strays.

And half-eaten birds.

Didn't you bring home a worm once?

Yeah, it was dying.

I'm pretty sure worms are invincible.

Hmm.

There are some nights, I just want to curl up in here

and sleep on your rug.

You could sleep on the rug if you like.

No.

No, my back wouldn't take it.

Mmm.

I love you. I love you. I love you.

I love you, too.

Thanks for arranging to see me.

She'll be home in a minute.

She, er, sleeps at the hospital.

Sometimes.

Ah, yes. Happens a lot in PICU.

Lines of parents,

staring off into the middle distance

-beside them little beds... -Hi.

Ah.

I hadn't forgotten.

Hi. Sorry. She had a bit of a...

she had a bit of a turn last night.

Did Andrew tell you?

Shall we fix this for another time?

No, it's fine. I slept.

I haven't washed, but...

As long as you can handle bit of body odour,

I'd rather get it done.

Er, right...

Orange juice? Coffee? Tea?

-Ah yeah, all of it. Toast. -Gotcha.

Um, do you mind if I faff around a bit while you're, er...

No, not at all.

Now, there are a lot of

misapprehensions about mediation.

I think of it as a chance

to get an understanding of everyone's position.

Because in clinical environments...

Yeah, I had arbitration at my old job.

When Marnie was born, I had to take a bunch of time off

until they called me in to "resolve the matter."

-This isn't arbitration... -So I, I sat opposite

while they lied about, you know, what I'd done

and how often I'd come in. I tried to do my best

by them, but they just, they couldn't see it.

All they could see was how I affected them.

So we left. We just lost the money.

Erm, you know, I wasn't gonna sit there and defend myself.

They were arseholes. But, you know,

Harriet isn't one, and nor is Samantha.

Do doctors ever change their minds?

We'll be examining every aspect

of the process, trying to work out...

Yeah, but do you look at... do you look at the decision?

Do you look at the decision that that ethics committee made?

Because we weren't even in the room for any of that.

Nicci, that's not fair.

-They've talked to us... -They haven't!

They haven't. They told us.

I wonder if it would be helpful...

It seems to me that this whole process is about,

-it's about making me okay... -"Us."

...with your decision, and that's just...

Do you understand? That's...

I'm not gonna be tricked like that again.

Well, I think she liked us.

I think she wants to move in, to be honest.

I'm off to Tom's for lunch.

If you fancy it, it's his birthday.

You know, he'd love to see you.

He would resent every second I was there.

He only wants to see you.

Okay. Shall I stay, then?

I mean, we've got a lot to talk about.

Will we just...

will we just talk when you're back?

I need to think.

So you are thinking, then?

What the fuck is that supposed to mean?

I, I think I should stay.

Talk when you're back.

It's only me!

Oh.

A lot of letters on the mat again.

I open the important ones. Don't worry.

Happy birthday. One from Katie. One from me.

Hmm.

Yeah, okay.

Hmm.

Ah, well...

Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

Time for lunch.

Yeah.

-You're looking healthier. -Weetabix.

Is that it?

I shit every morning at 8:00 am now.

Were you not regular before?

-Definitely not. -Well, that's great news.

-Fish and chips? -Only if you promise

to keep talking about your bowel movements.

Thank you.

You remember when your mum died,

how Dad fussed about.

Five minutes after she'd gone,

he was starting to prepare a funeral.

Who'd say what.

He wanted you to read that Kipling poem.

Yeah, well, you know, she wasn't my mum.

-But she really liked you. -And Kipling's a racist.

Anyway, my point is

that then Dad died

and neither of us did anything, organised anything.

The funeral was shit. I remember... your fault.

Never been good at doing something I don't wanna do.

-You're not dying, are you? -No. No.

If you died, I'd probably kill myself.

No, you wouldn't.

I said probably.

Marnie is very sick.

Why are these chips so good?

Lard.

They tried to ban me from here.

I threatened a man. But I said sorry because of the chips.

Well, they are that good.

Hey. I think Samantha is still here.

We could hunt her down together?

Oh, I, I just wanted some time alone with Marnie.

Sure.

I put a playlist together for your birth.

Did you know that?

I bought some

mini battery-powered speakers

and plugged them in.

The tune as you were born, erm,

Your Star Will Shine by the Stone Roses.

It was beautiful.

shine again one day

velvet skies

the world to see

outside is raging

they howl your name

I'll kiss you

Hi. It's me.

I've been trying to call you. Tom said you left ages ago.

You went and had a drink?

Well, I, I didn't know you were expecting me back.

We've got a visitor.

-Hello. -Hello.

My name's Brenda Haskins.

I'm here on behalf of Every Christian Life.

Oh.

Who?

Erm, we're here to help.

We've been lied to.

It, erm, it costs anywhere

between £250,000 and £500,000 a year

to keep a child in paediatric intensive care.

Do you think this is financial?

Well, they've denied a tracheostomy.

And, and the NHS,

erm, it's not entirely their fault.

They've had to ration and in this cruel world of ours,

the seriously ill are disposed of.

Your daughter's life is sacred.

Medical science has no right

to decide whether she live or die.

I mean, this is eugenics, and it can't happen.

We can raise the resources to fight this case,

and we can raise the resources to help her.

Help her?

Financial and legal help to win the case.

It's a case now.

And once we've won, get access to the drugs

and treatments that she's been denied.

There, there's so much that's possible now.

Vamorolone, risdiplam is having good results with kids with SMA,

it could... it's...

I mean, you can, you can see what this could mean for us.

Out of interest, how did you find us?

That's your question?

They contacted me and I was interested

in saving our daughter's life.

Look, I've, I've taken everything in

that you've said, Brenda,

and I'm, I'm really grateful for your help

but I think Andrew and I need to...

Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely.

-Of course. -Yeah.

Erm, listen, let me give you my card.

Erm, there's people from all professions

that are ready to talk when you're ready.

What's your profession?

Erm, I used to work for PR for the charity,

but I now run the outreach arm.

I'm not hiding anything from you, Andrew.

No pressure.

But the help is there if you'll take it.

And call any time as well.

I'm famous for never turning my phone off.

-Okay, erm, I'll show you out. -Yeah. Thank you.

That's great. Thanks.

Erm, where did you park?

-Are you out in the street? -Yeah, just outside.

Okay. All right.

Thank you so much.

I think, for Marnie's sake, we should at least consider it.

-Pro-lifers. -No. Great.

So, you've just jumped to...

-I'm gonna Google them. -Yeah, Google them.

I'm sure they'll confirm your every prejudice.

Prejudice? What, we're anti-abortion now?

No. Pro-Marnie.

Or pro anything that is gonna help her.

Er, is Katie upstairs?

Yeah, I think so.

-Let, let's talk outside... -What?

-...in the garden. Out. -Well, no, let's go for a walk.

Okay.

You know, the hospital is only gonna go along with mediation.

You don't have to agree

with Every Christian Life on everything.

I came home today ready to say...

I came home...

I think we should consider it.

Consider ending it, the treatment.

For her sake.

We knew right from the start

there was gonna come a point when...

-Yeah. -...we'd have to decide.

Yeah, we did. But that is...

This is not that point.

Well, the doctors are advising...

Two months ago, she was smiling.

She was looking out of her bedroom window at the birds.

We were there, okay? That robin was back

and she was delighted.

And that was two months ago, you know.

She, she's brain damaged. She's having bloody seizures.

She's not always gonna be like that.

You know they can, they can stabilise her.

The seizures, they can help.

The brain, you know, can repair itself.

She'll be back looking at birds again.

We were told, we were told, as soon as she was diagnosed.

-What do you mean, diagnosed? -We...

We don't even know exactly what's wrong with her.

We were told her condition is progressive without cure.

And she's beaten the odds every time.

Okay, when she was seven and, and the doctor told us

that she was gonna

you know, she was better off dead.

-We said no. Okay... -She's done remarkably well.

-You've done remarkably well. -Yeah, when

she was nine years old and that fucker said

she wouldn't smile or laugh again,

we said no, and she did smile.

And she did laugh.

You asked me once to make sure

that you weren't one of those mothers,

one of those who asked

-to keep their child alive. -No. Don't...

One of those that's blind

-to the pain of a child... -No,

-you don't do that. -...who just wants to cling...

She's... They say she's in pain.

They say she's in a lot of pain.

-She's still your child! -Yes! Yes, she is!

Yes, she is.

I knew you were feeling like this. You know that?

I knew. I could feel it.

Oh, so why did you make it so difficult, then?

What? You think this should be easy?

This isn't about us deciding if a doctor is right or not.

This is about deciding if our child should die!

Fuck off!

You know what the trouble is?

Trouble is, you have always...

You've always wanted her dead.

You know, if you're honest,

you never wanted her

and then she came out damaged.

-Please don't say that. -No.

I've been fighting for her all my life.

Just me. Not you.

-Me! -That's just not true.

Well, prove it then, you fucker!

Prove it and just stand with me.

Dad?

Dad, what are you doing?

I'm gonna stay at Tom's for a bit.

Why?

Ah, I can't explain. Not right now.

No, Dad. Don't go... No don't leave me here.

-Please don't... -Come with me, then.

What? No. Then she'll be on her own.

She can't have me in the house, and I can't be in the house.

But that doesn't mean I don't love her,

or you or Marnie. Okay?

Dad!

Dad, don't be a coward. Dad!

This isn't fucking cowardice.

I'm sorry, but it's not.

I love you. I'll be back soon.

Hi.

Hi.

Sorry to, er...

barge in. Erm...

So, there's something we need to tell you.

It's a bit difficult, erm...

You know George has been sick.

Is he okay?

It was very sudden, honey.

-They decided to... -Yeah, he, he passed away.

I'm so sorry, love.

Does that mean he's dead?

Yeah.

But... we were just talking.

I know.

I know.

Was he in pain?

No, the doctors were looking after him.

Am I going to die?

Erm...

Well, everyone's gonna die.

Honey, you remember when Grandpa passed away?

Am I going to die soon?

We don't think so.

Dad?

-There's a chance... -Andrew...

There's a chance that you might die sooner than some.

I'm really sorry about that.

I don't want to die.

Oh, sweetheart.

Hi.

It's been a while.

It's been one year,

three months, two weeks and a day.

I just wanted to, er...

-I needed to... -Now you need me?

You'd better come in.

I've started volunteering down at Happy Smiles.

Haven't seen your Marnie there.

Yeah, she's had a tough few months.

Poor thing.

Doctors want to turn off the machines.

Ah.

Biscuits?

How did you do it?

Do what? Agree to it?

Yeah, I mean, how did you... How did you know?

What's happened to her?

Some respiratory issues.

Then some things, heart, bit of brain.

Mainly respiratory.

They won't fit her with a trachy, so...

Oh.

George made me promise

I wouldn't let him have a trachy.

What?

Saw some kid with one

said he looked like a supervillain.

-So you talked to him about... -Death?

Yeah, always.

He started it. Was obsessed by the idea.

I can't do lying, so...

I always avoided it with Marnie.

I just never could...

and she tried to bring it up a few times,

but I could never.

That's okay.

When Georgie had what was his last seizure,

they told me it was unlikely

he'd be able to communicate again.

But I put on some telly he liked, The Worst Witch,

and he squeezed my hand.

He did.

But they convinced me,

convinced me,

that he was just in too much pain.

It's all right.

So...

Can you still see her?

That's the question.

People hate disabled people.

Sometimes I think they'd kill them all.

But we know.

We know what life looks like.

And if we don't?

Oh, you do, love. You do.

Morning, Nicci.

Oh, thanks, love.

Hi.

Morning, my love.

Did you have any dreams?

There you are.

There we go.

Have I understood right

that you've refused to attend mediation?

Yeah, and they're not gonna change their mind,

so there's nothing to say.

Okay, that means this is gonna go to court.

The hospital don't have your support in their decision.

They've tried and failed to mediate,

so they'll need legal backing for their decision.

Otherwise, it can get messy for them down the line.

Right.

Well let's do it. Erm...

I've got all of Marnie's.

I've got everything. Here's her red book...

Whoa, whoa. You, you need to understand

what we're facing here.

Have you ever been to court before, Nicci?

Erm, yeah.

Yeah, my dad, when he was mugged. He's a taxi driver.

A best interest case will be different

from what your dad encountered there.

There'll be at least three lawyers in front of the judge.

One will be representing you,

two the hospital's barrister

and three a barrister specifically appointed

to represent Marnie's best interests.

So, someone's representing Marnie?

It's the way it's done.

You need to understand

it will be very convoluted and the odds are against us.

Yeah, well, just tell me we might win.

That's all I need to know.

Charlotte Wyatt, the judge actually, erm,

actually decided for the doctors,

but in the time it took for the case to be heard,

she'd improved so markedly,

the hospital had to ask him to revoke his judgement.

And Ashya King, not technically best interests.

His parents removed him against doctor's orders

to get some experimental proton beam therapy.

They were jailed, but the judge subsequently ruled

that the parents should be allowed to take him to Europe.

He got the proton beam therapy. He lives.

And then there's Tafida Raqueeb.

The doctors thought she'd be

on a ventilator for the rest of her life.

She went to Italy, and last year she came off life support.

That plus three, out of how many?

It's possible.

That's all you need to know.

It's possible to fight the notion

that you have to surrender

parental responsibility as soon as your child crosses

the threshold of a hospital for treatment.

Yeah, and we're gonna have to use everything at our disposal,

but this is gonna be a fight, Nicci.

We need funds to help Fred.

That takes public support.

We need pressure in and out of the courtroom.

That takes public support.

That means you, Nicci,

you're gonna be at the front and centre,

"The mother that doesn't want her child killed."

Press and social media are gonna be our best weapon.

Are you ready for that?

I'm, er, I'm pro a woman's right to choose.

I mean abortion.

I think you should know that.

All we want is to save Marnie's life.

Okay?

Then, yeah.

I'm ready.