The Greatest Gift of All
Cooking gumbo takes time, patience, and love. Its warmth can be felt in every ingredient. For Julia and her family, gumbo is the perfect Christmas dish.
“My husband is an excellent cook,” Julia said. “Each year, we cook 40 quarts of gumbo and have 80–100 people march through the house eating and visiting.”
Luckily for Julia and John, their family isn’t far away. Two of their sons and two grandchildren live nearby in Ogden, Utah, allowing for frequent family gatherings.
“The grandchildren are just like getting a cupcake with extra icing — they’re that good,” she said. “Grandkids are just amazing.”
When Julia was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, a serious lung condition, she leaned on her strong family support system, as well as kind neighbors, to help her. She also counted on John’s background in respiratory therapy, an area he’s worked in for 50 years.
“He absolutely loves doing it,” Julia said. “John has been the light of my life.”
In May 2019, Julia’s condition worsened, leaving her hospitalized. Those three days, she said, were some of the scariest for her and John.
“He was terrified to leave me alone and worried I wouldn’t make it,” Julia said. “It was awful.”
After she left the hospital, Julia’s cardiologist prescribed her a new treatment they thought would help her condition and raise her oxygen saturation levels. When Julia saw the price, though, she was shocked.
“They said the copay was $4,000 a month,” she said. “There was no way we could do that.”
Julia’s doctors referred her to The Assistance Fund’s Pulmonary Hypertension Copay Assistance Program. The program provides eligible individuals with financial assistance for out-of-pocket costs for all prescribed FDA-approved treatment for PH, such as copays, deductibles, and coinsurance.
“TAF’s been a giant, giant gift,” Julia said.
In September 2019, Julia began her new treatment regimen. The impact, she said, was immediate.
“I’ve noticed an incredible difference with the treatment,” she said. “I would have never thought I’d be where I am now.”
Each December, Julia puts up a real Christmas tree in her home. For a few years, her health kept her from putting the tree up herself. But in 2022, Julia decorated the tree with more than 50-years-worth of ornaments all by herself.
“To me, that’s a huge milestone,” Julia said. “I’m a maniac about my Christmas tree. This treatment is a gift.”
Julia is also planning more trips and vacations to see her family. Whether it be to Park City, Utah, or Portland, Oregon, Julia said she’s determined to travel and live a fulfilling life.
“TAF is the reason that I’m in the spot that I’m in today,” Julia said. “I’m still going forward, still improving, still doing what I really want to do.”
