It took ten days for pharmacies to refill the prescription the 17-year-old needed to survive.
LITTLETON, Colo. — Sarah Hagberg faces a monthly struggle that’s become all too familiar: securing insulin for her son, knowing his life hangs in the balance. Every month, she scrambles to ensure her 17-year-old son, Sam, who was diagnosed with type one diabetes two years ago, has his vital medication.
“I had to go from just being able to grab anything I want from the pantry to like, checking the macros,” Sam recounts the shift in his lifestyle since his diagnosis.
Unlike other teens, Sam couldn’t just walk out the door anymore. At 15, he had to make sure he was strapped with the essentials: syringe, blood monitor, snacks and most crucially, his insulin.
“Without this little vial here, I can die,” he stated plainly.
Yet, obtaining this life-saving medication has become increasingly difficult for …