Mom Says 19-Year-Old Daughter Would Not Have Died If Asthma Medication Was Cheaper

Sadly, Holly recently passed away at the age of 19. Needless to say, it's always a tragedy when someone so young loses their life. Holly's mom says she might still be alive if not for the sky-high cost of meds.

Asthma is a common ailment, and anyone who has it will probably tell you that it can be managed. But, depending on where you live and what your benefits are, managing asthmas isn't free.

It's hard to know how many lives the humble asthma inhaler has improved, or straight-up saved, over the decades. It's a simple device, but getting your hands on one isn't always easy.

Lots of 19-year-olds are familiar with the feeling of being broke, and Holly was no different. But here's the critical thing: one of the things Holly often went without was her inhaler.

This had the effect of skipping inhales when she really needed them, all in the name of avoiding having to pay the high cost of a brand new inhaler.

But high costs made this difficult for her mom as well. "It is grossly unfair that people with asthma have to pay for medicine they need for their entire life just to stay alive," Holly's mom said.

The United Kingdom covers the costs of many medications. But for the 2.3 million Britons who have asthma, their condition is not considered "special case". This means inhalers aren't covered by the government.

Asthma UK, an advocacy charity, says that 57 percent of patients have skipped their meds because of cost. Considering the fact that skipping asthma medications can lead to an asthma attack or worse, it's a serious issue.

Asthma medication in the United Kingdom can cost a few hundred dollars a year. For a teenager struggling with bills and rent, every penny counts — and rent is usually a priority over meds.

She would put off medicating herself in an effort to save costs. Eventually, she was overcome by an asthma attack and collapsed, passing away before she could get to the hospital.

Lots, really. Countries with nationalized healthcare could opt to cover the relatively low cost of asthma inhalers. They could also subsidize them and make them cheaper for people who don't have much money.

Thanks to stories like Holly's, Asthma UK has launched an online petition calling on the U.K. government to "stop unfair asthma prescription charges." It's had lots of support, but is still about 10,000 signatures shy of its goal.

The petition is addressed to Matt Hancock, a British Member of Parliament and Secretary of State of Health and Social Care. In this position, Hancock would be able to push for new rules.

Hancock is a member of the ruling Conservative Party. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Theresa May, the Conservative government has made noises about privatizing healthcare, which could leave millions of Britons without accessible medicine.

It didn't happen quickly enough for Holly Worboys, but we can hope that the memory of how her life ended might inspire the powers that be to make a change. h/t: Distractify