Cruising Through Life
Gary, his wife, and their beloved dog — a boxer-shepherd mix — love taking full advantage of their Florida life. The warm weather is a far cry from their days in Ohio, where Gary grew up.
“My wife really wanted to move down here,” Gary said. “I don’t know what they did without air conditioning!”
Their home in Palm Coast, Florida, isn’t far from the sandy beaches of Daytona. Gary recently retired from teaching, allowing him to enjoy the beaches and cruises that embark from nearby ports-of-call.
“I didn’t have a job lined up before coming,” he said. “It was kind of a roll of the dice. But it’s worked out well.”
In 2018, Gary was diagnosed with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (Alpha-1), a hereditary disease of the liver. Alpha-1 is often diagnosed later in life — doctors only discovered Gary had the disease at an unrelated visit.
“That was a life-changing day,” Gary said.
When he learned how expensive his treatment was, Gary knew he needed help. The treatment is critical for slowing the disease’s progression.
“It’s so expensive,” he said. “How can you take on a $15,000 a month drug and survive? We are middle-income people. There was absolutely no way.”
Gary was thrilled to discover The Assistance Fund’s (TAF’s) Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Financial Assistance Program. The program provides financial assistance for FDA-approved treatment for prescription drug copays, health insurance premiums, and incidental medical expenses.
“TAF’s process was a piece of cake,” Gary said. “I probably couldn’t survive without TAF.”
Gary isn’t the only member of his family receiving assistance from TAF. His sister, Jennifer — who also lives with Alpha-1 — is enrolled in the disease program, too.
“We’re doubly lucky,” he said. “The treatment is terribly expensive for her, too.”
For Gary, his new year began with great news. His application for TAF Reenrollment was accepted, and he’s begun preparing for his latest cruise — he and his mom are headed to the Bahamas.
“We will spend days at the beach, which I am thrilled about,” Gary said. “My wife is a little jealous!”
