9000 Needles

One family goes to extraordinary lengths in order to help a loving father and husband recover from a devastating stroke, and director Doug Dearth captures their heroic efforts for all the world to see while exploring the tragic limitations of the U.S. health care system. Champion bodybuilder Devin Dearth was 40 years old, and in perfect health when a massive stroke caused by bleeding on the brain stem struck him virtually out of the blue. With half of his body paralyzed, his speech abilities severely limited, and his vision badly distorted, the once-virile father and successful business man could no longer provide for his family. His odds of recovery were slim, yet despite the fact that Devon was making steady improvements thanks to in-patient therapy, his forward trajectory would soon start to slip back as complications with insurance forced him to move back home. Upon learning that doctors in Tianjian, China were making remarkable progress in treating stroke victims by combining Western medical techniques with traditional Chinese methods, Devon's brother Doug rallied the community together and raised the money pay for treatment abroad. Once there, the progress Devon began to make after being immediately plunged into the intense treatment program was nothing short of astonishing. In this documentary, viewers not only get a firsthand look at that revolutionary treatment, but also the incredible courage of one man to beat the odds, and one family's unwavering love and determination in the face of insurmountable odds.