Iowan battles pancreatic cancer during national IV shortage
By Laura Terrell
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EAGLE GROVE, Iowa (KCCI) — A saline solution shortage caused by Hurricane Helene is severely impacting Jared Beecher, a 27-year-old father from Eagle Grove, who is battling pancreatic cancer.
Beecher was diagnosed just six days after his son was born.
Beecher goes to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota every three weeks for chemotherapy and relies on a total parenteral nutrition solution of nutrients that is fed to him through an IV.
“He is getting all his nutrition and hydration,” said Beecher’s mother, Amy Terwilliger. “Overnight, he receives it for 12 hours. He wishes he could eat or drink on his own, but he is not able to sustain enough, so he is completely dependent on that.”
The saline solution shortage has led to a critical situation where Beecher’s home infusion company will not take him back if he is admitted to the hospital. Other home infusion companies are also not taking new patients due to the shortage.
“We have to be way extra cautious so we don’t end up back with him in the hospital because then he is stuck there if that is the case,” said Beecher’s wife, Jarika. “It’s really good for him and good for us to be home as a family of three versus being in the hospital.”
The Beecher family is also concerned about the broader impact on hospitals.
If patients aren’t able to receive their TPN at home and have to get it in the hospital, they would be taking up beds that could be needed for patients during the flu and COVID-19 season, Terwilliger said.
The family says the saline shortage is adding to the stress of an already difficult situation.
“When you are fighting cancer, you are fighting for your life, and we don’t need to be worrying about having medical supplies delivered,” Terwilliger said. “Each week, we kind of hold our breath to see if we are going to get our full supply.”
Currently, Jared Beecher receives a seven-day supply of TPN every Friday, and the family hopes this does not change.
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