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Leukemia diagnosis sends mother on mission to help others
She's what's right with Tampa Bay
TAMPA, Fla. - When Laura Bray's daughter was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, she was shocked to find out that there was a drug shortage for the medication her 8-year-old daughter needed.
Laura leaped into action to find her daughter the help she needed.
Abby Bray is quite a dreamer and a little bit of a daredevil.
"She loves adventure, roller coasters, Harry Potter, reading," Abby's mom, Laura said. "She is so strong, very courageous, and she loves her friends and she wants to be a baker."
Abby was diagnosed with leukemia in November 2018.
"You know, it felt like a freefall. When she was diagnosed, we were given this parachute. She has cancer. But there is this wonderful protocol, this cocktail of drugs that we're going to be given over time. And that cocktail has a 90% success rate," Laura explained.
But the drug wasn't available because of a shortage.
"That led my daughter to ask me, 'Am I going to die if I don't get my medicine?'" Laura recalled.
Her mission is to make sure no doctor or pharmacist has to tell a patient that the key to their survival is not available.
She started a grass-root non-profit called Angels for Change, which has two goals.
"One is advocacy. Any patient anywhere can contact us and the middle of a drug shortage and we can advocate on their behalf to help in the drug shortage, utilizing my knowledge of supply chain," Laura said. "And the second thing is awareness throughout the supply chain. We've built a lot of champion partners, pharmaceutical companies and health systems who work with us to help a patient."
The plan seems to be working. They have helped 50 families so far.
"It is a right to have access to lifesaving drugs and we're looking to eradicate hospital-level drug shortages," Laura explained. "I'm haunted by the knowledge that there are patients not getting the treatment that their protocols demanded and are in a life-threatening situation that keeps me up at night."
Laura was able to find the medications her daughter needed and after more than two years of chemotherapy, Abby is in full remission.
"I think the hopes that any parent has for their child, that you can watch them grow and explore life and you can be there to help guide them and pick them up when needed," she said.
Laura hopes the splash she is making brings awareness about the impact drug shortages have on the most vulnerable children. For more information about her mission, visit www.AngelsForChange.org or her Facebook page.