One of the people in that group was a young man named Eddie Lewis. His life was downright brutal.

The abuse started early and often: Lewis and his brother, beaten mercilessly with a bed slat and starved by his stepfather while his mother stood by in tacit approval. Taken out of his birth mother's home, only to endure the same horrific treatment by his foster mom - this time with a stick.

Beaten so ruthlessly that by the time he turned 21, Lewis' kidneys had all but shut down.

Even though McGinley offered to help get him on dialysis while he waited for a transplant, Lewis didn't care whether he lived or died.

He didn't think he was worthy.

McGinley says she named her program Eddie's House "because I thought Eddie was going to die on me.

"I didn't want him to be here for nothing."

Reason to live

Working with McGinley has given Lewis a sense of purpose.

He has spoken to bar associations, Congress members, and schoolchildren, raising awareness about the stigma that comes with being a foster kid - and the potential dangers.

"I don't have words to explain how important meeting Sharon was for me," Lewis says. "If anything, she's letting me live my dreams of helping a child. And you know what the good part is? Whether they know it or not, they [the children] need me."

Now 31, Lewis undergoes dialysis three times a week, five hours at a time. Doctors told him that if he lost 100 pounds, he'd get put on a transplant list. He's already lost 125. On Wednesday, his doctor put him on the list.

Nightline is following Lewis' progress for a future show.

"It will spread a lot of awareness about dialysis," Lewis says. "But I would much rather it be about the [foster] kids. I want to be the voice of the kids, but not so much the face."

He understands now that speaking up for kids who live in the shadow of abuse is his calling.

"I didn't die," he adds, "so maybe it's because I wasn't meant to."

Lewis and McGinley both.

Contact columnist Annette John-Hall at 215-854-4986 or ajohnhall@phillynews.com.

Read her work at http://go.philly.com/annette