'Houston Medical' staff wants TV show to be saved

HOUSTON -- The doctors and nurses at Memorial Hermann Hospital want viewers to throw a lifeline to "Houston Medical," the reality medical show that documented their daily grind.

"The most important aspect of what (this program) has allowed the public to witness is the real-life issues that occur with illness and with those of us who try to care for these people," said Dr. James "Red" Duke, a trauma surgeon at the hospital where the six-episode series was filmed.

The show first aired on ABC in June and its final episode was shown July 23. ABC spokeswoman Annie Fort said the future of "Houston Medical" is "undetermined."

At a news conference Wednesday, many of the participants, as well as fans, announced the creation of a Web site, www.savehoustonmedical.com, dedicated to getting the show back on the air.

Houston City Councilman Michael Berry said he was so riveted by the program that he's decided to ask other viewers to make sure ABC knows it had a following.

"It's truly a wonderful and inspiring thing to see," he said.

Mary Sharkey, whose battle with pancreatic cancer was featured on the series, said she's received numerous e-mails, letters, cards and comments from viewers saying how inspirational her real-life experiences have been to them.

"They tell me I provided them with a source of inspiration and hope," she said. "To me, that is what good TV is all about."

Resuscitating TV series

Sharkey urged anyone touched by her story to voice his or her support on the Web site. "That is the only way that ABC is going to know how you feel about this show," the 50-year-old said.

Producer-director Chuck Bangert said he isn't going to give up on the series that followed patients, doctors and nurses through their illnesses and life challenges at one of the nation's busiest trauma centers.

"We're right now in that limbo of them deciding what they want to do," he said. "The indications are that they are doing everything they can to work the economics of it out for us. Based on the numbers from that last show, (ABC) started to do a little mouth-to-mouth to resuscitate it. It's still kicking."