and a journalist and struck a chord with millions around the world. masked men came to his home, covered him with kerosene, and set this little boy on fire. it's hard to imagine that anyone could do that to a child. you know, youssif's story isn't so much about cruelty. it's about strength, it's about healing and courage. here's our story. >> reporter: now 9, it's hard to believe that this is the same youssif we met in baghdad four years ago. there's no trace of the sullen, with drawn, and angry boy he was once. no trace of the boy who could only speak a few words of english. >> i'm still making it! i'm doing like soccer games and practice. i never used to do that in my country. >> reporter: why didn't you do it in your country? >> because it was kind of dangerous. >> reporter: do you remember that day the guys attacked you? >> no. >> reporter: he used to, this was youssif, 5 years old at the time. he was attacked by masked men right in front of his home in early january, 2007. [ speaking native language ] >> reporter: his family begged for help. desperate to see their boy smile again. a plea heard around the world. cnn viewers donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the children's burn foundation that took on his case. but life in the u.s. has not been easy for this iraqi family. soon to become american citizens. along with a younger sister, youssif also now has a 2-year-old brother. where do you guys sleep? >> we sleep over there. >> reporter: will you show me? >> yeah. we sleep right here. >> reporter: you sleep right here on the ground? >> yeah. >> reporter: and you sleep there? >> yeah. >> reporter: and you sleep here? >> yeah. >> reporte >> reporter: the family's had a pretty tough time despite the fact that they're very grateful to everyone for everything that has transpired since they came to america, since being in iraq. but it hasn't been entirely easy for them. and then there's, of course, financial difficulties, as well. and so as youssif was showing us, the kids are sleeping on the floor. there's two level of carpeting here, but that's all they have, and this flimsy blanket. his surgeries are covered by the california state children's services, as they would be for other children who live in california. but the family has to make ends meet on their father's security guard salary of $9 an hour, plus welfare and food stamps. and the family is desperately homesick. despite all of youssif's friends. do you want to go back to iraq? >> kind of, yeah. >> reporter: why? >> because it kind of is my country, and i mess everyoiss e that i knew there. >> reporter: with u.s. troops leaving, they wary that iraq may never be safe enough for them to go back home. >> oh, man. all i got -- it's starting to come higher. >> reporter: cnn, los angeles. >> as you can see there, youssif is doing well. when i last saw him, he was just as happy. he was cracking jokes, he was proud to show off his english, which has gotten even better there. but his doctors tell us he's going to need several more operations over the next few years. and of course, as with many immigrant families, they face financial challenges. all the items you saw there in the one-bedroom home were donated by people like you from all over the country. if you want to donate directly, you can reach youssif and his family on twitter twitter, @youssif-iraqi. hard to believe we're just barely two weeks from the first nominating contest of the 2012 presidential election. one place where republican candidates all seemingly agree they want to get rid of president obama's health care law. my next guest has a unique per speckive to this. he not only designed -- helped design the law, he helped design mitt romney's health care plan back in massachusetts. the obama administration hired him as a technical adviser to congress when it debated the law. now he has a book out, it's a comic book, in fact, to try and explain the law to everyone else. it's called "health care reform: what it is, why it's necessary, how it works." jonathan gruber, an economist at m.i.t., and joins me from boston. welcome to the show, jonathan. you don't think about comic books and economist often in the same sentence. and i want to talk about that in a second. look, i've been following your commentary for some time now. you do have this unique perspective. i mean, what -- when you describe this, what do you describe as the differences between the obama plan and the plan of massachusetts? >> basically, sanjay, at their core, they're really the same plan. basically the basic goal of the massachusetts plan was to build on what worked with our health insurance system and to film the cracks to cover the uninsured and fix the broken market for individual insurance purchase. the federal law is really the same basis. it's basically saying, look, we've got a broken insurance market where insurers can discriminate against the sick. we're going to end those practices. we're going to make sure everyone has insurance, and we're going to make it affordable by subsidizing the purchase. it's really the same basic plan we did in massachusetts. >> does the federal bill even being more ambitious, does it -- does it reduce costs enough to accomplish the things you're saying? >> well, basically, you have to understand that reducing health care cost is a really, really difficult issue. we don't really know the right answer on how to do that to be honest. what the bill does, it tries what i call a spaghetti approach to cost control. throws a bunch of stuff against the wall and sees what sticks. we take four or five of the things that we know are the best ideas now in cost control. we try them all. and we learn about what's going to really work ultimately to control health care costs in america. >> this is coming up a lot, as you know better than anyone, jonathan. as you listen to governor romney's -- you know, when he talks about what happened in massachusetts, and he says, you know, these are different. and he's come out on the record and saying what happened in massachusetts, what's happening at the national level, are very different. you have said he is either lying or misleading people. what -- which part specifically? was there something you specifically took issue with, what the governor said? >> yes, i do. i mean, basically i take issue with two things. first of all, he says, well, i didn't have to raise taxes and obama did. well, he didn't have to raise taxes because the federal government paid for his bill. it's really unfair for him to say, oh, gee, i don't have to raise taxes and ignore the fact that he got a subsidy from the federal government to make his bill possible. clearly that's not possible at the national level. the second thing i take issue with is he says, well, my bill was right for massachusetts but not right for the nation. he never says why. in fact, he's wrong. this approach can work everywhere in the nation, and it will work. >> was there the equivalent of a mandate? this was a term that people are starting to get to know more and more, where people have to buy insurance, if they can afford it. was there a mandate in massachusetts? this seems to be something governor romney is dead set against. >> no. -- i mean, yes, there was a meant in massachusetts. we're the first state in the nation to have a health insurance mandate, and it's been very effective. we've covered 2/3 of our uninsured citizens now have health insurance. and the law remains popular with about 2/3 public support for the law, despite the mandate. >> so you would say what happened in massachusetts was successful in terms of getting people who didn't have insurance, getting them insurance? is that correct? did it accomplish its goals? >> i think the bill had two goals. it was to get the uninsured insured, it did accomplish that goal. and it was to fix a broken individual insurance market. i can't emphasize this enough, that in most -- most of you're viewers will have insurance through their -- most of your viewers will have insurance through their employers. if you don't have insurance in america today, you're in big trouble. you're in a market with insurers can discriminate against you based on your health, can charge outrageous prices. so the goal is not only to help the uninsured, but it's to fix the individual insurance market, so critical for those who aren't offered insurance by their employer. >> and another question about this mandate quickly because this is the big issue in 2012. the supreme court will weigh in, as well. newt gingrich, as well. my reading suggests that he's also supported an individual mandate in the past. is that your understanding? >> it's not just newt gingrich. this is a republican idea. i mean, when mitt romney signed this bill in 2006, there was a speaker from the heritage foundation, a right-wing think tank, on the platform saying what a wonderful bill this was. it was only once president obama adopted this idea, because it's such a good one, that suddenly it became a bad idea from the per texspective of conservative >> a busy year for you. i'm sure 2012, a lot of people will be asking you questions. hopefully you'll come back to answer this, as well. up next here on "sgmd," long-term planning pays off for one cancer survivor. we'll show you how. ♪ [ male announcer ] you never know when a moment might turn into something more. and when it does men with erectile dysfunction can be more confident in their ability to be ready with cialis for daily use. cialis for daily use is a clinically proven low-dose tablet you take every day, so you can be ready anytime the moment's right. ♪ [ man ] tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. don't take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain as this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. 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[ male announcer ] ask your doctor if cialis for daily use is right for you. for a 30-tablet free trial offer, go to cialis.com. you know, we're heading into our third year now of the cnn fit nation challenge. let me tell you something -- it hasn't just transformed my life. it's also changed the lives of a lot of viewers just like you. 2011's six pack member nina lovell is competing in a half-marathon in february. this man is training for a half ironman next spring. and dr. scott zan, remember him? he's taking the challenge back to his hometown of green bay, wisconsin. he started a fit nation challenge all on his own for the employees of the health care system where he works. it's exactly what we were hoping to see. this monday is the last day to get your submissions in to join me for 2012. it's easy to do. log on to cnn.com/sanjay. submit a two to three-minute video telling us why you should be a part of next year's six pack. this next woman, sara warner, when she was just 26 years old, she found herself battling cancer. even in the darkest times, she dreamed about becoming a mom. and against all odds, she was determined not to let anything stand in her way. >> yeah. he looks like a mama. >> being a mom was always sara western werner's dream. she never imagined it would take the help of a total stranger to deliver the dream. at 26, sara got devastating news -- she had advanced cervical cancer and needed a hysterectomy. >> i went obviously completely into menopause, infertile. you know, in a matter of weeks after the diagnosis. so emotionally, it was a pretty tough pill to swallow. >> before she would undergo any cancer treatment, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, she fought to keep her dream alive. and she found a doctor willing to try to help. >> i made it very clear that i wanted to be a mother no matter what it took. dr. mitch was like, we're going to harvest your eggs, we're going to make embryos, but we had to move quickly. >> ten years later, despite being divorced, sarah was ready to be a mom. while she's cancer free now, she cannot carry a child. and then she found denise. who agreed to be her surrogate. >> sarah, there it is. >> to sit back and see that first ultrasound was more than just -- it was more than just realizing a dream of becoming a mother, but it was like i could finally relax. and it wasn't going to be a fight anymore. >> denise carried and delivered a healthy baby boy. as sarah prepares to take little chase home from the hospital with her boyfriend matt firmly by her side. she's overcome by the joy of having her dream finally come true. >> when i first had my hysterectomy and they told me that i could get a surrogate and have a baby, you know, that was to me like going to the moon. like i didn't know anybodiles that had done that. -- anybody else that had done that. it sounded crazy. to sit here and have this little baby produced -- you know, it took effort on so many people's behalf, but i mean, it can happen. >> i'll tell you, for female cancer patients who want to keep the option of having children, the best scenario is freezing an embryo like sarah did. harvesting and freezing eggs, that's another option. and for men, there's sperm banking. all these options are costly, but some insurance plans will help. and there are programs that can help defer some of that cost. still ahead this morning on "sgmd," just in time for the holidays, dr. andrew yeil and advice for dealing with depression. stay with us. progresso. it fits! fantastic! 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[ all talking at once ] the world health organization predicts in less than 20 years depression will be the second most widespread illness in the world behind only hiv/aids. even now in any given year one in ten americans suffers from a mood disorder. it makes you wonder exactly what's happening here and who better to understand this than dr. andrew weil. the book is dr. andrew weil, "spontaneous happiness." >> i found the most frequent coming in to my website was about depression. then i looked into some of these statistics. more than 1 in 10 americans is now on a prescribed antidepressant drug. the number of children taking psychiatric medication is enormous. why are we experiencing that epidemic of depression today? what's different? some of this i think is manufactured by the medical pharmaceutical complex which has been very successful at convincing people that ordinary states of sadness or imbalances in brain chemistry need to be treated. let's take that out. i don't know what it is? maybe 20%, 25%. maybe more. it still leaves us with a lot of depression to explain. what's different today? one clue i found writing this book depression is virtually unknown in hunter-gatherer societies. that's interesting. everything's different there. another is that depression correlates with affluence. the more people have, the less satisfied they seem to be. i think big factors are increasing social isolation in the past century and i think a lot of things about modern life foster that. our diets are different. we're disconnected from nature. i also think that information overload is a big factor and all the effects of the media and how they are affecting our brains. >> do you -- besides the fish oil, for example, and the meditation, do you do things differently? hunter-gatherer society you're not living if that obviously. you are someone who has means, resources, more affluence than the average person. what do you do if you fall into that category? >> i make sure i'm physically active every day. spend time in nature. i attend to my sleep. i try to associate more with positive people and again, there is very strong evidence that happiness is contagious as is depression. if you have a happy friend that lives within a half-hour of you, you are more likely to be happy. >> i love that! that's great. how far away do you live? too far. >> you know what? i also learned -- i got happier in the course of writing the book. one of the things that surprised me was the amount of scientific data we have for how powerful an intervention is feeling and expressing gratitude. there's positive -- from positive psychology there's a simple exercise which is to keep a gratitude journal. during the day just make mental notes of things you are grateful for. before you go to bed at note write them in a little notebook. doing that for one can produce an elevation of mood that lasts for six months. >> that's a lot easier of some other of the therapies we hear about. being charitable. i know for myself -- it sounds falsely humble but i feel good about being chasritable also to the point feel selfish. >> the general consensus that this is fine and it is perfectly okay to feel good about doing good for others. >> what about children? the society that you describe that might be the most problematic is a society that's becoming more common for our kid. >> absolutely. i worry a lot about the effects of the new media information overload on kids. we have some data that the kids who spend most time on the internet are most prone to depression. i think this is prone to the social isolation that that promotes. >> there's medications out there that make people feel a little more charity, put a little more spring in their step. if they get to the point where these medications -- they have side effects but they get to the side effect profile is really lower and they're generally safe, is that a problem? >> i'm all for that as long as they don't create the need for more of them as happens with many of our drugs. there are also some natural remedies out there that i think people might want to try before they take prescribed medications. things like st. john's wort -- >> i think the st. john's wort literature was very convincing -- >> for mild to moderate depression, looks pretty good. not for severe depression. it is not indicated for that. s.a.m.i., a dietary supplements, also works for aches and pains and bodily arthritis. also works rapidly. an indian herb i use, quite safe. i don't need it, i don't take it, but it is relaxant and calming. for someone that has depression with anxiety that might be a good thing to try. these are all things to try. they can't hurt you and you might give them a try. you resort to a prescribed drug. >> we will have a whole lot of history to look back on to see what worked and what didn't work. that's always fascinating to speak with you and i'm glad you're well. >> thanks. >> congratulations on the book. take care yourself. don't tour too much. salt adds flavor to just about everything. and sodium in salt is an essential nutrient. but too much or too little can cause major health problems. the usda says people should limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams a day and says most adults should keep it to 1,500. recent studies find levels too low could raise your cholesterol. your best bet? read the labels. falk to your doctor. falk to your doctor. that's "food for life." look at these big pieces of potato. ♪ what's that? big piece of potato. [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. i'm going to introduce you to you to scott, he creates new worlds. but rather than always moving us forward, sometimes these new worlds take us back to our childhood. >> so an app is a brand-new thing to create a complete fully immersive interactive experience that involves music, visuals and interactivity. you used to take an album home and have to play it on a record player. there's something kind of reverential, also like spiritual the way we would kind of bond with an album. so the app has the potential to bring that back and the way it does it is by demanding all of your senses at once. >> scott's ultimate dream to create a feature length interactive movie. a full participatory experience where your movements actually change the story and change what's happening around you. fascinating stuff. much more with scott this sunday, 2:00 p.m. eastern, right here on cnn. that's going to wrap things up for