Extraordinary Measures is based on a true story.  I typically LOVE these types of movies, and this was no exception.  John and Aileen are happily married with three kids.  Two of which  have a disease called Pompe.  The life-expectancy for children with Pompe is 9 years.  John and Aileen's two children with Pompe are 6 and 8.  John is a business man and a dedicated husband and father. He has done a lot of reading on the disease and is very fond of one particular scientist, Dr. Stonehill.  Dr. Stonehill is rather eccentric, even for a scientist. In the middle of a business meeting, John "snaps".  He takes off to Nebraska and tracks down Dr. Stonehill who explains that since he works at a college, he gets paid even less than the football coach and many of the grants he needs to fund his research get turned down. John, tells Dr. Stonehill that they need each other because he is the founder (or something to that effect) of the Children's Research for Pompe Organization (or something to that effect) and John's children need Dr. Stonehill's help.  Dr. Stonehill says he's never heard of it.  This is because John decided to start it at that moment.  Dr. Stonehill says he needs $500,000 and John says, okay, you'll get it.   John and Aileen start the organization and raise funds. 
This movie is really interesting.  It shows a lot about how medical research companies work or don't work and how the FDA can get in the way and the hurdles that these researches need to climb.  This is an amazing feel good story.  I HIGHLY recommend it.  Go see it!