From the author of 365 Days comes a poignant, personally inspired tale of a rookie doctor fighting for the life of a desperately ill young girl—a story that grows ever more relevant in this world of increasingly sophisticated and technical medical care
In this riveting and passionately rendered novel, an intern faces the harsh realities of his profession, and the overwhelming highs and lows for which medical school was unable to prepare him.
The call comes at three in the morning, ordering the intern to handle a new admission at the pediatric ward of the university hospital. He finds eleven-year-old Mary Berquam, diagnosed with advanced leukemia. The doctors think they might be able to give her drug therapies and put her in remission, but her parents know Mary’s disease is fatal and they want to keep her comfortable rather than put her through painful treatments. The young intern must confront what it means to follow the conventions of his job versus the calling of his conscience.
“This book will wrench your heart, precisely because it has a heart of its own . . . Glasser writes with passion and with an uncommon skill at choosing exactly the right words. Ward 402 is a triumphant exposition of the human will.” —Newsday
“Ward 402 is a powerful documentary novel which plunges you into the midst of a medical and moral dilemma—a dilemma that centers around one of the most memorable youngsters in literature.” —Literary Guild Magazine
“Dr. Glasser can describe a medical emergency in a way that makes the entire scene spring to life. . . . This is good and exciting writing.” —The New York Times Book Review
