CHASKA, Minn. - For her entire life, 7-year-old Kendall King has battled.
"She's the most remarkable little girl you ever met," said her dad, Kyle King
Up until recently, Kendall's health was the only thing putting up the fight. But then the family's insurance company decided to do so, as well.
Kendall was born with a heart defect, which after several surgeries is under control, say her parents.
But this Chaska girl also suffers from a mysterious lung disorder that is very similar to Cystic Fibrosis.
Every day, she undergoes a number of treatments that keep mucus from forming in her lungs.
But in January, the family's insurance changed and their prescription provider, CVS Caremark would no longer provide a nebulizer called Pulmozyme.
Her parents could not afford the $2,400 a month price tag, but the price is even higher when their daughter is not on the drug. That's because it helps keep her out of the hospital, they say.
During the last several months, Kendall had to be hospitalized multiple times.
"When I am at the hospital I just want to break down crying because I can see how much pain she's in," said Kelly King, Kendall's mother.
Her doctors even sent appeal letters to CVS Caremark.
"Kendall has shown dramatic response to Pulmozyme," wrote Dr. Brooke Moore. "When Pulmozyme is added she does remarkably better."
And at her most recent hospitalization, Dr. Moore had enough.
"Kendall's pulmonologist just called the medical director of CVS directly and said, she needs this medicine," recounted Kelly.
After more than 10 months of denial letters and frustrating phone calls, a couple weeks ago the insurance company relented.
Kendall is back on the medication, not cured by any means, but able to be a kid again. Why it took so long is something her parents just don't understand.
"It was the right thing to do. It's too bad it took 10 1/2 months to get that result," she said.
KARE 11 contacted CVS Caremark Friday afternoon. A spokesperson said she would get back to us, but as of our 10 p.m. newscast, we had not heard from the company.
Meanwhile, friends have stepped up for the King family starting a Facebook page called, "Kids For Kendall". The page has raised thousands of dollars for the family.
A fundraiser has been planned to help with any additional costs to the family, as well. Information can be found on the Facebook page.
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