Patrick Hogue was in a situation that's become all too common.
The 42-year-old Fayetteville resident was unemployed, uninsured and in failing health. What's worse was that the medication he needed to stay alive was beyond his means.
But a charitable program offered through Cape Fear Valley Health and the Cumberland County Health Department has proven to be a lifesaver for him and thousands of others.
The Cumberland County Medication Access Program (CCMAP) gets little fanfare but has made an impact, helping low-income residents of Cumberland County obtain lifesaving medications to better manage chronic, long-term diseases..
In Hogue's case, the diseases were diabetes and high cholesterol - a common, but often deadly, duo. Hogue was once athletic and the picture of health before diabetes started to ravage his body.
He has since lost his left leg and most of his eyesight due to complications from the disease. The daily insulin, cholesterol-lowering medication and diabetic supplies he needed cost well over $500 a month.
He lost the ability to pay for medicine after having to quit his job due to his health problems. But his caregivers helped enroll him in CCMAP, which provided almost all of his needed medication. Hogue now qualifies for disability and no longer needs the help of CCMAP.