Ontario family raising funds for baby with rare disease about to undergo major surgery
A Collingwood family is raising funds for the aftermath of a procedure that will leave them reeling for years.
Emma Garner gave birth to baby Sloan just nine months ago — but their time together has differed from a normal newborn-mother experience.
“She was born healthy. There was nothing concerning when she was born,” Garner told CTV News Toronto Thursday.
Before long, Sloan was showing signs of newborn jaundice.
“She got newborn jaundice, which a high amount of babies do, but what was different with her jaundice was that it never went away. It just kept getting worse and worse,” she continued.
At seven weeks old, Sloan underwent further testing, revealing that “all of her levels were extremely elevated," Garner said.
The next morning, Sloan was admitted to The Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto, where she was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia ,a relatively rare disease that begins in early infancy and affects about one in every 10,000 to 20,000 infants.
A week later, she would undergo a surgery called the Kasai Procedure — a major internal surgery that connects the liver to the shortened intestine in the hopes of draining bile.
Sloan faced a challenging recovery period after her surgery.
“She just got recurring infection after infection. We were in the hospital a couple of times and eventually, they just said ‘This isn't working anymore.’ Her jaundice wasn't going away with antibiotics or anything,” Garner said.
Garner was soon told that Sloan would require a liver transplant at just nine months. Luckily, Garner was found to be a match. She will donate her liver to her daughter on June 24.
She said she felt a mixture of “relief and anxiety” upon finding out she was a match.
However, for two years after the procedure, Sloan will need to be on immunosuppressants, meaning that Garner will be out of work.
“I'm a registered nurse, so after her transplant, she'll be on immunosuppressants. Her immune system [will be] just horrible. So, I just decided not to go back to work for at least the future years,” said Garner.
In addition to Garner having to put a pause on her career, she will not be able to care for Sloan for six to eight weeks after the procedure, meaning her partner, Adrian, will also have to take time off work during this time.
The Garner family has started a GoFundMe to cover costs accumulated by medical care, accommodation costs during the time of the procedure and lack of income.
So far, they’ve raised just over $17,000 of their $20,000 goal.
“Our goal is [..] to focus on post-op recovery and health without worrying about the costs associated with it.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.