When Colin's brother Luke becomes seriously ill with leukemia, he is determined to get the best help possible. He's sent to stay with relatives in London and works to go to the very top — the Queen first and, failing her, the best cancer doctor in the world. He is helped by a young man whose partner is dying of Aids — the ending cannot be happy, but is joyous in a way because it offers comfort and truth. The story is told with a wonderfully humorous touch.