Saskatoon family feeling 'in the dark' with pediatric specialist they rely on set to leave
A family in Saskatoon is worried about the future health of their son once Saskatchewan’s only pediatric gastroenterologist (GI) leaves this spring.
Zach Engen was diagnosed with Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) in October 2020, when he was 11 years old.
EoE is a rare condition involving the esophagus becoming inflamed and narrow. As a result, Engen wears a feeding tube and can only eat certain foods.
“Sometimes he can’t even get water down,” Engen’s mom, Alyssa Weber, told CTV News.
“No medication is helping. We’re in and out of hospital.”
Dr. Simone Nicol, the province’s only pediatric GI, was the one who diagnosed Engen and has been the boy’s doctor throughout.
While it was heartbreaking to learn of Engen’s condition, Weber said she was relieved to finally get answers from Dr. Nicol — after months of watching her son sick and vomiting.
But Nicol is winding down her services in May, according to an automated email response from the physician.
“Now she’s leaving, it kind of leaves us stranded,” Weber said.
The family of Zach Engen, 11, is concerned as Saskatchewan's only pediatric gastroenterologist prepares to leave. (Laura Woodward/CTV News)
In Nicol’s automated message, she says the Saskatchewan Department of Pediatrics and the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) are working on “alternate solutions.”
“I appreciate the frustration and burden this may place on the over 1,000 patients,” the physician’s response reads.
Weber said she hasn’t received any information on a plan to fill the void left by Nicol's exit, to ensure her son gets the specialized care he needs.
“No one’s told us anything, we’re in the dark. What’s the plan?” Weber said.
In response to a CTV News inquiry, the Ministry of Health provided a statement.
“We understand the difficulties families may face as a result of this specialist's departure,” the Ministry of Health wrote to CTV News.
The ministry said recruitment and retention of physicians is a “top priority” and the province is working with the University of Saskatchewan to add eight more medical residency seats.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
BREAKING McGill University seeks emergency injunction to remove pro-Palestinian encampment from campus
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.