WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — North Carolina residents are struggling with growing medical bills.

LendingTree, one of the nation's leading online insurance marketplaces, released a new report on America's struggle with rising medical debt.

In North Carolina, 20.8% of residents have medical debt, which is the 6th highest in the U.S.

What You Need To Know

  • In North Carolina, 20.8% of residents have medical debt

  • Amanda Bowles was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called multiple myeloma when she was 33

  • As a single parent, Bowles tries to do her best to balance providing for her kids and keeping up with the debt

Amanda Bowles was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called multiple myeloma when she was 33 years old, back in 2014.

The disease causes a group of plasma cells to become cancerous and multiply. It can damage the bones, immune system, kidneys and red blood cell count. 

“I’ve had two stem cell transplants, the first transplant was an autologous transplant, which was my own cells, and the second was also transplant, which was donor cells," Bowles said.

Those transplants were done back in 2014, and seven years later, Bowles is still paying off her transplants. She owes over $30,000 and the medical bills keep coming in, because her disease is incurable. 

“I still pay for bone marrow biopsies. I still have to pay on the transplant because the transplant itself was over $700,000 and then with insurance, and thank the Lord, I’m not self pay, but with insurance, this is what I owe,” Bowles said.

As a single parent, Bowles tries to do her best to balance providing for her kids and keeping up with the debt.

Unfortunately, Bowles does not think she will ever be able to pay off her bills. Her current monthly treatment costs her $100,000 a year.

Bowles said she's just taking it one day at a time. 

“I try not to dwell on it. I just keep on going and I put this on the back burner and just try to live my life. I’m not going to focus on this," she said.