Up until Monday, Nicole Turple worried she may not make it to her 29th birthday in July.
The Truro woman’s doctor had prescribed her Symdeko, a medication for cystic fibrosis, in December.
“I started a claim with my insurance company that same day,” Turple said, noting the medication costs about $25,000 a month.
Turple’s insurance company said it would fully cover the cost of the medication, but needed documents such as her prescription and medical history, before they could process her claim.
“Each time they requested information it added time. Wasted time,” she said.
Then at the end of February, Turple started a new job and lost her insurance through her previous employer before it had finished her claim.
“When I was a baby, my parents were told I wouldn’t live to be a teenager. I don’t want to have to worry that I’m going to make it to my next birthday,” she said.
But then Turple received a phone call from Mark and Kelly Lindsay.
Since October, when their daughter Chantelle’s lung function began to decline, the Lindsays had pleaded with the government and drug company Vertex to bring Trikafta to Canada, but they were never able to get their hands on the medication.
During their fight, a man from Ontario donated a four-month supply of Symdeko to Chantelle after it didn’t work for his genetic mutation of cystic fibrosis and the Lindsays were given the runaround with their insurance.
“Unfortunately, we weren’t able to use it,” Mark said in an interview Wednesday because it wouldn't have been an effective medication for Chantelle.
The Lindsays lost their 23-year-old daughter to complications from cystic fibrosis on Feb. 19.
“Six to eight months ago, Chantelle had about the same amount of lung function as Nicole,” Mark said.
“That’s how fast CF can hit you, so we thought if we can do anything to help her, we will.”
On Monday, the Lindsays met with Turple in the Tim Hortons parking lot in Debert and handed her the four-month supply, worth about $100,000, of Symdeko.
“Kelly said she reminded her of Chantelle, even with the little cough that she had. It was quite emotional,” Mark said.
Turple, who texted her friend Chantelle every day she was in the hospital, said she didn’t know if she was crying with joy or sadness.
“I was speechless. There’s nothing I could ever say or do to thank them for what they’ve done,” she said.
“They’ve given me life.”
Mark and Kelly Lindsay said they will continue to try to make Trikafta accessible in Canada and help people with cystic fibrosis in any way they can.
“I promised Chantelle right up until the end that I would continue her fight and I will,” Mark said.
