Case study: Zoe Oakley’s story

Zoe Oakley, a 42-year-old bus driver from Poole in Dorset has Polycystic Kidney Disease and had a transplant four years ago. She has started cutting tablets in half or is stopping specific medications to save money.

The single mother, who has two boys aged 14 and 10, says she's struggling with money. In 2017, Zoe was hospitalised twice as she had to wait until payday to collect her prescription.

She says: "I work but wages aren’t rising in line with the cost of living. I've heard others are doing the same. There is so much inequality and it's not right people with Parkinson's, transplant recipients and those with heart problems must pay for them while people with diabetes don't. The system needs a desperate overhaul."

She adds: “I pay a monthly price, but I have even got behind with that. Even though it's £10 a month, it's expensive and when I went to pay, I couldn't afford it. It's a struggle. It's pre-pay so if I run out at a difficult time, I must assess it. I've cut tablets in half to make them last longer. I've had to do that with blood pressure tablets. Doing this doesn't make me feel well.

"If I cut a blood pressure tablet in half, I get neck pain and headaches and my heart races. My transplant is in harm's way, but you're stuck. It's better to have some than none. It's like food, you're cutting back on everything.

"When I couldn't pay, I decided not to take one of the tablets, one that stops the side-effects of the other tablets I take, and it caused incredibly bad heartburn. It was like knives going into my chest. But if I don't take the other tablets, I lose a kidney and die."

The cost-of-living crisis is a matter of life and death for the seriously ill

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