When Calls the Heart Season 12 Episode 11: Having Faith

After learning from Dr. Carter that Little Jack has diabetes, Elizabeth storms outside into the windy night and says in voice over, “There are no words. Or, there is only one word: why.” Mike comes into the pharmacy that night as Mei flips through magazines; she locates an article about a treatment she saw, and she and Mike go to see Faith at the doctor's office. Mei shows Faith the article about trials taking place in Toronto on the hormone called insulin to treat diabetes. Faith knows that they are still in trials, and Mei says that that means they will need volunteers.

Faith notes that the treatment risks are unknown and that children might not be included in testing, and they both know that it is a longshot but that there are no other options. Elizabeth and Nathan light a candle at Elizabeth's house, and Nathan holds Elizabeth on the couch.

The next day Mei and Faith explain insulin to Nathan and Elizabeth in her kitchen. Dr. Carter says that she spoke with the doctors doing the trials and that the results have been miraculous, but that they are not taking children yet; however, they said that they would be willing to consider a special case for Little Jack. Mei says that she and Mike can go and make the case in person for him and that they already have tickets on the train to Toronto. They need to take a letter of consent from Elizabeth that Mei will present, and if all goes well she will return with the insulin.

Faith and Mei tell Elizabeth that it might help if she explains a little of Jack's story in the letter for the doctors.

Rosemary and Minnie arrange large amounts of food for Nathan, Elizabeth, Little Jack and Allie. Allie delivers more food items from Mrs. Yost, and Rosemary hugs Allie and thanks her. Rosemary frantically goes through the list of who has what meals on what days of the week, and Minnie assures her that they can handle the arrangements. Minnie tries to comfort Rosemary, but Rosemary says that she needs to just stay busy, and Minnie reminds her that it is important to let ourselves feel and that they have to hold on to hope.

Rosemary enters Elizabeth's house to find her sitting at her table with a pen in hand and Little Jack asleep on the couch. Elizabeth tells Rosemary that she has one hour to write a letter telling doctors why her son deserves to live and that she does not know how to find the words. Rosemary tells her that she can do it and that she just needs to tell his story and what he has been through, and at that Elizabeth breaks down crying.

Rosemary says that they are going to play a game called “I Remember”: Elizabeth is to say anything she remembers about Little Jack from any time, and Rosemary will write them down. Elizabeth cries as she says that she remembers giving birth to him, what he looked like as a baby, singing him to sleep, and the first time he smiled at her.

Nathan enters the Mountie office and Bill relays that Nathan has been cleared for a leave of absence for as long as he needs, and that Bill is going to return to active duty in his absence. Henry enters and tells them that Little Jack's pony is missing, and they agree to split up to look. At the café Minnie, Joseph, Rosemary, Molly and Faith see Mike and Mei off for their train to Toronto with a bag of food. Elizabeth enters with her letter, and everyone tells her that they are here for her.

Mei says that they will call as soon as they know anything, and Minnie asks Joseph to say a few words; they all take one another's hands and Joseph says a prayer as a voice over plays of Elizabeth's letter writing, in which she expounds on the stories she recalled with Rosemary and says that she knows Jack will grow up to be like his brave father, but only if he is able to get insulin and get the chance at living his full potential.

At the saloon Henry tells Bill, Lucas and Lee that he has not heard anything about the medicine or the pony. Lucas says that it is not important, and he and Henry mention that there was a recall vote for Lucas as Governor: it was 2 to 1 against and Lucas does not see the point in fighting it. As the four of them discuss, Lucas says that he has nothing to lose and should instigate more executive orders around healthcare, insurance and education since he no longer needs to worry about re-election, and Henry says that he can help by drafting up more paperwork.

Bill and Henry leave to look for the pony.

At the Canfields', Cooper tells Minnie that he feels bad because he was supposed to be watching Little Jack when he went missing. Minnie says that it is not his fault, and Cooper says that he wishes he could do something more for Jack. He mentions how Jack likes baseball, but Minnie does not think that Jack can play or go out much, and Cooper wonders whether Jack could listen to baseball. Elizabeth tucks Little Jack in on the couch and tells Nathan how she wishes she could do more.

Toby and Cooper knock on the door and share the cards that the children made for Jack, and Elizabeth mentions how Jack misses playing baseball with them; they wonder whether they can play a game and announce it on the radio for him to listen to. She says that he will love that and asks them to promise to have fun.

The children head out to the field to start the baseball game. Angela helps set up in the saloon for the radio broadcast with Cooper, Toby and Ned, and Allie says that Oliver is up on the balcony with binoculars and can see the whole field. Oliver will tell Allie what happens, she will relay to Cooper and Toby, and they will announce it on the radio. Cooper says that it is play-by-play radio, and that he got the idea from Angela because that is how she takes in the games. Angela plays baseball fanfare on the piano and they begin the radio show.

Lee and Ned cheer on in the saloon crowd, and various people listen at home: Little Jack with Elizabeth and Nathan, Minnie and Joseph, and Molly and Florence. As Timmy faces two strikes and is up for his third hit, he delivers a message from the field via Emily at the saloon that he wants to dedicate this hit to their teammate, Little Jack. Everyone gives a collective “aw,” and Toby gives Jack a shoutout. Timmy gets a home run on his third time up to bat and everyone cheers.

The teenagers come over to Elizabeth's after the game and give Jack a signed ball from Timmy, and Elizabeth takes Allie's hand and thanks all of them for making today so special. As they walk in town, Allie wonders to Oliver why she did not notice anything about Little Jack being sick earlier, and Oliver reminds her that there is nothing any of them could have done to stop this.

Mei and Mike call Faith from Toronto and relay that there was a misunderstanding because the doctors thought Jack lived in Toronto. Because the insulin has to be used within three days of manufacturing and must be kept cold, they cannot transport it just for one patient. Faith insists that there has to be another way, and Mike and Mei say that they are meeting with the head of the lab tomorrow and ask her to let them know if she has any ideas.

Bill stops over at Elizabeth's to check on Jack as Elizabeth takes him up to sleep. Nathan asks how things at work are, and Bill relays that they still have not found Pal. Nathan tells Bill that he feels like he cannot stop the bad guy for Little Jack and cannot stop the hurt for Elizabeth, and that for the first time in his life he feels powerless. Bill says that his job is to be there when it counts and that he is doing a great job at that.

Faith comes to Elizabeth's and relays the news that they were turned down by the trial. However, she explains that there are efforts to create clinics in remote places like Hope Valley, but that they would need at least 10 diabetes patients to qualify. Rosemary, Faith, Minnie, Molly and Florence meet at the café to discuss the ramifications of a clinic. Faith has a list of folks in the surrounding area who have been diagnosed with diabetes, but the difficulty would be asking them to travel there every day for treatment.

Everyone agrees to help by dispersing flyers about diabetes across the valley and making calls to families, and Rosemary says she will put a call out on the radio.

At the saloon on the radio, Rosemary explains diabetes, its symptoms and what insulin is, and relays that they need volunteers to participate in a trial clinic and that people should contact them at the Queen of Hearts saloon if they or anyone they know has been diagnosed with diabetes. Almost immediately they receive a call at the saloon from someone who is diabetic and wants to participate. Elizabeth and Nathan get Jack ready for his checkup at the doctor, and Nathan gives Jack a piggyback ride because he does not want to walk.

At the doctor's office Jack is tired and Molly tucks him into bed, and Faith says that she would like to keep Jack there so that she can keep an eye on him for now.

Rosemary, Faith and Minnie make calls at the newspaper office and discuss how they have seven people so far who have called in. Minnie says that people are either nervous about the treatment or cannot make the trip every day. Molly and Joseph enter with news that they found two sisters who were recently diagnosed, but that is still only nine including Little Jack. Elizabeth says that it will have to be enough and offers to call the clinic; Faith dials them and passes the phone to Elizabeth.

She pleads with them about how these lives are on the line, and after a pause she cries and tells them thank you. Elizabeth returns to Jack's bedside and shares the news with Nathan, and they embrace.

Rosemary, Minnie, Bill and Joseph pace around the saloon wondering why the train is delayed over an hour. Lee arrives with news that the bad rainstorm caused a pile-up on the train crossing and that they will be delayed up to 24 hours with the medicine. Bill and Lee head out together, and Minnie and Rosemary leave to be with Elizabeth at the doctor's office. Outside of the doctor's, Rosemary tells Minnie that she does not know how she and Elizabeth have been so strong in the face of their children suffering.

Minnie says that you find faith when it is all you have got, and that they should focus on the facts that the children are alive, they are strong, and there is hope.

Bill and Lee return in the car with Mike, Mei and the insulin. Elizabeth thanks Mei for taking the trip, and Molly readies the insulin. Nathan puts Jack's medal in Little Jack's palm and Dr. Carter administers the insulin. Bill enters the saloon and tells Rosemary, Mike, Lee, Minnie and Joseph that they administered the first dose: Jack is not awake yet but has not had a bad reaction. Bill says that they will know by morning, so Lee says that he will put coffee on and Mike says that he will make grilled cheeses.

At the doctor's office Faith confirms that Jack's vitals are stable. Jack slowly wakes up and asks Elizabeth why she is so sad as she cries in joy. The next day at church the townsfolk all sing “Hallelujah!” outside together, and Joseph speaks about St. Francis and then blesses all the animals, including Pal the pony. Nathan pours tea for Elizabeth and himself at her house. Elizabeth tells him that she does not know what she would do without him, and Nathan says that there is nowhere he would rather be.

He asks whether she is okay, and Elizabeth says that she does not know: she is confused about many things, and today feels like both the worst and best day of her life. Nathan tells her that they have their whole lifetime to figure it out, and so does Little Jack.

The episode ends with the treatment working and the two of them sitting with it. Dr. Carter administers the first insulin dose with Jack's father's medal in his palm, Bill reports to the saloon that there has been no bad reaction and that they will know by morning, and Faith confirms that Jack's vitals are stable. Jack wakes and asks Elizabeth why she is so sad while she cries in joy. The next day the town sings “Hallelujah!” outside church and Joseph blesses the animals, including Pal the pony, which resolves the pony thread the episode opened earlier. The final scene is Nathan pouring tea for Elizabeth and telling her they have their whole lifetime to figure it out, and so does Little Jack.

The episode does not present the insulin as a cure and does not say that Little Jack is out of danger. Faith has already told Elizabeth that the treatment risks are unknown and that the trial did not want to include children, and the clinic that accepted them did so on the basis of nine patients rather than the ten that were required. The episode states that they will know by morning, not that the result is settled.

What remains unresolved or unconfirmed: the clinic's patient count is short of its own stated threshold and the episode does not say whether that was waived or covered. The Garrison gold is still missing and is not mentioned in this episode. Angela's decision about the Schwartzman School is not revisited. Lucas's recall defeat is stated and his plan for executive orders is announced but not begun. The episode also does not establish why Little Jack developed diabetes, and it offers no explanation of the medicine's longer-term availability beyond Mei returning with one supply.