Netflix points out that the story is “true-ish,” which is raising a lot of questions about what’s real and what’s made for TV in this fascinating series. So, is the Hirsch Institute real—or, at least, based on a real organization? Here’s the deal.

Throughout Apple Cider Vinegar, journalists are investigating Belle. One of them, a journalist named Justin (Mark Coles Smith), learns about Belle from his partner Lucy (Tilda Cobham-Hervey), who takes solace in Belle's feed while she’s undergoing breast cancer treatment—and even decides to pause it altogether and try alternative remedies.