At just seven years old, a sick little boy with a gap-toothed grin has saved the lives of complete strangers.

Ashley Grey’s rare illness is treated by a drug with a complicated name and a $240,000-a-year price tag.

“Mum, how do you say it?” he asks of the medication that keeps him alive. “Ecal-ubul-oozibab?”

He rolls back in fits of laughter.

Eculizumab, marketed as Soliris, is now free thanks to the Grey family’s campaign to have it listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Desperately ill people suffering atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome can now get access to the lifesaving medication.

Despite the Grey family’s campaign, the PBS listing is actually bad news for Ashley.

He was getting the medication compassionately from the drug company.

As soon as it was listed on the PBS, the freebie doses stopped.

For more details, go to: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/pride-of-australia-family-wins-fight-to-get-life-saving-drug-eculizumab-on-pharmaceutical-benefits-scheme/story-e6frg6n6-1227438288630