A Father for Brittany (A Change of Heart) (1998)

Andrew McCarthy, Michael Learned, Teri Polo, Linda Sorenson, Chuck Shamata ... see more  , Andrew Tarbet , Jonathan Welsh , Shirley Knight , Diana Belshaw , Robert Bockstael , Linda Brooks , Hugo Dann , Dan Duran , Deborah Grover , Judah Katz , Jenny Kim , Hannah Kim , Michael Kinney , Caroline Lee , Catherine Lee , Merle Matheson , Paul Miller , Panou , Ric Reid , David Sparrow , Terry Tweed , Sugith Varughese , Sally Willis

Childless couple Keith and Kim Lussier (Andrew McCarthy and Teri Polo) have seemingly had their prayers answered when they are placed in charge of 3-month old foster child Brittany. When the couple de... read more cides to adopt the child, it is Kim who seems most enthusiastic about her prospective parenthood, while the noncommittal Keith assumes a "whatever" posture. And then, disaster strikes: Kim is diagnosed with cancer. When it seems as though she'll recover, the adoption agency elects to allow the couple to continue caring for Brittany--and in the process Keith, who has had to take full responsibility during Kim's convalescence and treatment, grows to dearly love Brittany and proves to be an ideal apart. Alas, Kim goes into remission and dies, whereupon the agency falls back on its long-standing policy that no single parent be permitted to adopt. Keith long, agonizing legal battle to win full custody of Brittany serves as the climax to the fact-based TV movie A Father for Brittany (home video title:Change of Heart, which originally aired March 15, 1998, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi