Timothy – Madison, WI
“Greetings HealthWell Foundation, I am happy to report that it has been a very good year for me. I have been genuinely surprised by the good health and resilience I have enjoyed since my lung transplant: it truly feels great to breathe easily and to be able to remain active. Spending quality time with friends and family, unencumbered by my previously severe breathing difficulties, often carries with it a dream-like sense of reprieve. Some traveling, the continued pursuit of my lifelong enjoyment of listening to and playing music, and endeavoring to become a regular runner are a just few of the many highlights from the past year. Next month, I will join my family and friends in celebrating my 50th birthday – what a milestone!
Once again, I want to thank you, HealthWell Foundation, and your donors for helping me with prescription costs through your Cystic Fibrosis Fund. The fund has made an important difference in my life by providing copay assistance for several key CF medicines. For some of us with CF, lung transplantation can offer relief from some of the most profoundly destructive aspects of our disease. However, even after a successful transplant, many prescriptions are still necessary in order to remain healthy. Whether one has CF or another chronic disease, part of being proactive involves adhering to our doctor’s recommended prescriptions. Indeed, this is one of the most important things that I can do in order to help sustain the gift of life my transplant has brought me. Your coverage through the Cystic Fibrosis Fund offers me peace of mind by helping me manage some of the associated charges for these essential prescriptions.
Partway through this last year, the benefits of having HealthWell in my corner were felt anew, when I unexpectedly faced an emerging issue with my new lungs. I was prescribed an additional drug therapy, and along with the prescription came the expected additional copayment responsibility. This secondary struggle of figuring out how to pay for costly new medicines is a common refrain for many people who are challenged by chronic illnesses. But once more, HealthWell was front and center with timely approval and payment of the copay coverage for my new prescription. Doing everything I can to protect my new lungs and in turn honor my donor’s sacrifice is very important to me; it also helps me promote my good health in the future. Moreover, having the means to begin necessary treatments immediately when they are prescribed helps me stay 100 percent compliant with my transplant team’s medical advice. I would encourage other persons with CF who are having difficulties meeting their copayments to inquire about the HealthWell Cystic Fibrosis Fund.
This coming February will be the four-year anniversary of my life-saving lung transplant. My life is full of many opportunities that were not available to me before the surgery. But regardless of what I pursue, every day I take time out to experience the simple gift of being alive, and to reflect on my donor as well as those that have helped me along the journey thus far. The love and hearty support of my family and good friends has been indispensable to my success. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the vital community it serves are also fondly appreciated. And finally, The Center for Lung Disease and Transplantation at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, as well as the UW Health Lung Transplant Program, are both institutions to which I will always be grateful. Until next time.”
Timothy – Madison, WI