When a rare disease ALD threatened to kill the four - year - old boy Lorenzo, his parents refused to give up hope. Doctors explained that there was no cure for ALD, and that he would probably die within three years. But Lorenzo ’ s parents set out to prove the doctors wrong. The parents devoted themselves to keeping their son alive and searching for a cure. But doctors and the families of other ALD patients often refused to take them seriously. They thought the efforts to find a cure were a waste of time, and drug companies weren ’ t interested in supporting research into such a rare disease. However, the parents still refused to give up and spent every available hour in medical libraries and talking to anyone who would help. Through trial and error ( 反复实验 ) , they finally created a cure from ingredients ( 调料 ) commonly found in the kitchen. The cure, named “ Lorenzo ’ s Oil ” , saved the boy ’ s life. Despite the good results, scientists and doctors remained unconvinced. They said there was no real evidence that the oil worked and that the treatment was just a theory. As a result, some families with ALD children were reluctant to try it. Finally, the boy ’ s father organized an international study to test the oil. After ten years of trials, the answer is: the oil keeps ALD children healthy.