Saskatoon parents waiting on life-saving organ donation for their baby
Megan Crawley has spent many sleepless nights waiting for a call that could save her baby’s life.
“Any time the phone rings you wonder who it’s going to be,” Crawley said.
Her daughter, seven-month-old Emma, has a rare condition called biliary atresia, which means bile does not drain from her liver.
Emma started showing symptoms when she was about one month old. Her doctor said she needed to go to Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital.
“Within that first day we went from just walking in, expecting it to be something minor, to it being a very serious life-long condition,” she told CTV News.
Due to complications, Emma may need a multi-visceral transplant, meaning another family would have to donate organs after their child dies. (Courtesy: Megan Crawley)
Shortly after doctors referred her to Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton for a liver transplant.
Crawley said after putting out a Facebook post, nearly 100 people offered to be a donor, but then the gut-wrenching reality sank in.
Due to complications, Emma may need a multi-visceral transplant, meaning another family would have to donate organs after their child dies.
“It’s a very complex feeling and situation, just because you know what it means for another family, that someone else has to lose their child,” she said.
Crawley knows what it’s like to be on the other end. She said when her cousin died a few years ago, he became an organ donor.
The Crawley family is raising money to help cover some of the costs of Emma’s medical care. (Courtesy: Megan Crawley)
“I was in the room with the family when the doctor announced there’s no brain activity, but all of his organs could be donated,” she said.
Meanwhile, Crawley said she hopes Emma can get a transplant as soon as possible. She noted that Emma is currently at the top of the pediatric transplant list.
“Our hope and our wishes for her is that she comes out of this alive and as healthy as possible,” she said.
The Crawley family is raising money to help cover some of the costs of Emma’s medical care. Crawley encourages others to register as an organ donor, because “it saves lives”.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6977485.1721935249!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
LIVE UPDATES Rain reduces wildfire activity, aids firefighters: Jasper park officials
Jasper National Park officials said Thursday night that rain over the day resulted in "minimal fire behaviour and spread."
Canadian Olympic Committee removes women's soccer team's head coach over drone scandal
The Canadian Olympic Committee has removed women's national soccer team head coach Bev Priestman over a drone scandal, according to a press release from the organization.
Yukon woman narrowly escapes bear attack, credits hair clip
A woman in Yukon believes her hair clip helped save her during a bear attack.
Prince William's 2023 salary revealed in new report
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
'I was just shocked': Jasper lodge owner on seeing property destroyed by wildfire
On Wednesday night, the owner of Maligne Lodge in Jasper, Alta., was shocked to receive a photo of her business engulfed in flames.
Mary-Ellen Turpel-Lafond likely has Indigenous DNA: report
The Law Society of British Columbia says a DNA test shows a former judge and Order of Canada recipient accused of falsely claiming to be Cree "most likely" has Indigenous heritage.
U.S. authorities have arrested 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel
Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, a historic leader of Mexico's Sinaloa cartel, and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, a son of another infamous cartel leader, were arrested by U.S. authorities in Texas on Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department said.
Harris pushes Netanyahu to ease suffering in Gaza: 'I will not be silent'
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris pressured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to help reach a Gaza ceasefire deal that would ease the suffering of Palestinian civilians, striking a tougher tone than President Joe Biden.
'She led it the whole way': 18-year-old B.C. woman leads hikers to safety in Jasper National Park
As fire threatened people in Jasper National Park, Colleen Knull sprung into action.