When I think of our family's struggle with eczema, one phrase comes to mind: 'it shouldn't have to be this way'.
When our youngest child, Walker, was born and his battle with eczema began, as a mother I felt that I had failed him. I used the most gentle personal care products, I used unscented laundry soaps, I sought so many alternative therapies to help provide relief for Walker. In working with our pediatrician it was clear that our son was going to need a strong steroid ointment to alleviate the misery he was experiencing. Our pediatrician instantly knew what steroid was going to best suit Walker's eczema, but she had to break the news to us that she couldn't prescribe it to us...yet. Because of our insurance guidelines, we were required to use a a prescription that we knew wasn't going to help just to 'check the box'. This was incredibly deflating to us as parents because we had no other alternative. I couldn't help but think that 'it shouldn't have to be this way'. After a six month period of using a medication that wasn't working, our pediatrician was finally able to prescribe the appropriate medication that would bring relief to our little Walker.
Having shared our story with many friends within our community, I have learned that this is a common theme throughout others' stories as well. As parents we simply want the very best for our children, and the loops we have to jump through to get the best for our children is completely unnecessary. I have committed to advocating for patients' access to care because at the end of the day, it shouldn't have to be this way.
Watch Cara share her story on Capitol Hill: