FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.(KNWA/KFTA) – According to Erin Moore, a dietitian at Highland’s Oncology, certain companies recently have stopped providing tube feeding and the formulas that go along with them for patients.

Frank Price is one of those patients that was recently cut off after he received a letter in the mail saying they have “made the decision to no longer provide services.”

“At that point, I had six days of fluid left and six days of containers of six a day,” Price said.

Price suffered from esophageal cancer for four years and because of that he can’t digest physical food, so he relies on tube feeding and nutrition to survive.

“This is the size of the container that he has to ingest through a feeding tube six times a day this is his only nutrients he does not eat anything by mouth,” said Grace Donoho, Price’s partner.

Donoho says she couldn’t stomach the thought of losing Price to an unnecessary shortage.

“I was in a hysterical panic because I care about him and I didn’t want him to die due to local of nutrition I mean he can’t get a hamburger he can’t get a cheeseburger he can’t eat anything so this is so critical,” Donoho said.

Prices said his supplier said it would take 10 to 12 days to switch him to another provider, which left Frank guessing where his next meal would come from.

However, after Price and Donoho attended one of Price’s normal doctor appointments at Highland’s Oncology, things started to get better.

“I’ve helped several patients navigate these shortages in formula as well as companies that are able to provide their formula and supplies,” Moore said.

Moore notes that the shortages of tube feeding and the formula that goes along with them have been happening for the last couple of years.

“A lack of formula or a lack of supplies or ability to access that tube is such a burden on top of the family and on top of everything else that they’re having to navigate through cancer treatment,” she said.

Price and Donoho say Highland’s Oncology helped them out tremendously and acted swiftly as soon as they heard his situation. Price was sent home with four boxes of nutrition and won’t have to worry anymore.