GoFundMe page raises more than $25K for Sask. boy with rare genetic condition
A Martensville family is getting support from the community as their 15 month old son battles a rare genetic condition.
In January, Jack’s parents Leslie and Phil Duval started noticing purple spots on his stomach. In March, Jack was diagnosed with a condition called Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome (WAS). Leslie says the condition has left him with critically low platelets, the average for someone his age is 160 to 400, while his are as low as 3. He also has auto immune deficiencies and eczema.
Leslie is paediatric emergency nurse at Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon. Now she has to sit back and be a mom of a patient.
“It’s harder than I thought it would be to sit back and be a mom instead of a nurse,” said Leslie “I definitely have a lot more empathy towards the families that come into the hospital now.”
Since Jack’s diagnosis, the family has been forced to take five extended trips to the hospital. Currently they make weekly trips for blood work and appointments.
“It’s been extremely difficult. The thing with this syndrome he has is there is a lot of unknowns,” said Phil.
The only cure for his syndrome is a bone marrow transplant.
“It’s hard to sit back and watch your kid go through poke after poke for IVs for blood work,” said Leslie.
The family is trying to stay positive, as their optimistic for a bone marrow transplant in the next few months. When it happens, the family will have to stay sixth months in Calgary.
“It's going to be an uphill battle. It’s not an easy fix.” said Leslie “We have our doctors working really hard right now to try and find the perfect match.”
Leslie and Phil will both have to take time off work to travel for the transplant and their stay in Calgary. A GoFundPage has been launched by friends to help pay for mortage payments, bills, and maintaing two residence along with any medical expenses.
“It’s been incredible to have Melissa and Alanna (GoFundMe organizers) and everybody involved step up for us and help us out.”
In just under two months, the page has raised over $25,000 dollars.
“We’re just trying to be a force behind Leslie and help her as much as we can,” Alanna Franey, a fellow nurse and friend. “It’s not easy watching one of your close friend and struggle with a child who’s sick.”
For the person who has seen a lot in her five years as a nurse to sick children, she knows the staff, the same ones she still goes to work with, are working hard to ensure her kid, can just be a kid.
“He can go to school, play with friends. We don’t have to worry so much about simple little things.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.
Case against ex-Mountie charged with helping China can go ahead in Quebec, judge says
A Quebec court judge has ruled that the case against a former RCMP officer charged with helping China conduct foreign interference can go ahead in the province.
Ippei Mizuhara, ex-interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani, will plead guilty in betting case
The former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has agreed to plead guilty to bank and tax fraud in a sports betting case in which prosecutors allege he stole nearly US$17 million from the Japanese baseball player to pay off debts, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.