Mom advocates for end to drug shortage after struggling to find medication for daughter diagnosed with cancer

TAMPA, Fla. - When Laura Bray's daughter was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, she was shocked to find a drug shortage for the medication her daughter needed.  

Bray leaped into action to find her daughter, Abby, the help she needed, and now, she's helping other patients along the way.   

"It was the most hopeless I'd ever been," Laura Bray said. 

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It was diagnosis that came in November 2018 – one that no parent wants to hear for their child. Bray said Abby had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, which is the most diagnosed form of pediatric cancer.

"Carrying your child through a pediatric cancer diagnosis is just very terrible to be relegated to just being the caregiver, to not being able to shelter your kid from this or take it from them," Bray explained. 

They had a treatment plan for Abby, but the drug she needed wasn't available because of a shortage. 

"This is a patient problem," said Bray. "This is a national problem. This is a global problem. The supply chain is very brittle. It breaks every day and there is no extra. And then what happens is, patients are prioritized, and some people get it and some people don't. And it's not always clear why." 

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It inspired Bray to start a grassroots non-profit called "Angels for Change." The organization's mission is to end drug shortages through advocacy, awareness and a strong supply chain. 

"Anybody who works at the hospital knows this is a daily crisis," she said. "Ninety-nine percent of hospital pharmacists said they are dealing with at least one drug shortage, life-saving, essential medicine shortage a day, and that's in the United States." 

Laura was able to find the medications for her daughter, and for the past five years she has been finding medications for other vulnerable children. 

"We are actually the only patient advocacy non-profit in the country with a mission to end drug shortages, and we are the only ones who take calls from patients and get them medicines when they're in life-threatening situations," Bray added. 

All her hard work has caught the attention of Congress. She even testified at a hearing last year. 

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"I'm very proud to represent patients in that way, but also to make sure that policymakers cannot ignore this solution and are inspired to do the work that it will take to end this crisis," Bray said. 

As for her daughter Abby, she is now cancer-free and doing great. 

For more information, visit Angel for Change's Facebook page or click here to visit their website.