My name is Kolton Chapman. I am a transgender man living with a chronic illness. My life hasn’t always revolved around my illness –– I am an artist who enjoys coloring books and helping people design logos and other items to help with their businesses.
I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and moyamoya disease, a rare blood vessel disorder.
My main priority should be focusing on my health –– not on bills and making ends meet. But unfortunately, with high prescription costs, their prices and my medical debt always factor into my decisions.
My life path has been completely altered by expensive prescription drugs and drug company greed. I often feel like I’m behind all of the people my age — even people younger than me — because I’ve had to focus my time and money on staying alive. We shouldn’t have to give up on pursuing a college education because of crippling medical debt. We shouldn’t have to make every financial decision with the cost of prescriptions and medical debt in the back of our minds. Things can be better if our leaders rein in drug companies’ greed and make the needs of patients like me the priority.