'There's none here': Sask. family seeks out of province specialist for child's medical needs

Zach Engen, a fifteen-year-old video game lover, has faced a challenging journey since 2020.

He battles a rare condition that causes his esophagus to contract, making it impossible for him to consume solid foods.

His mother, Alyssa Weber, is short on options.

"I'm leaving my husband and my other three children here behind, and taking him to see a whole new team of everything, because there's none here, and the other provinces who do have a specialist are not accepting new patients from Saskatchewan," Weber said.

Weber prepares to take Zach to Toronto to consult with a specialist.

Saskatchewan faced a setback when the last pediatric gastroenterologist in the province closed their practice in March 2023, leaving families like Zach's struggling to find adequate care.

"They don't have a room right for us yet. So we have to go stay in a hotel," said Alyssa

While Zach and Alyssa prepare for their journey to Toronto, Zach's stepfather, Marc Weber, remains behind to take care of the family.

"It's hard because you can't travel with the family down there to deal with it as a family because money is tight and people have to stay back," Marc said.

The family's financial burden is evident, with costs like Zach's special formula amounting to $200 per month on top of all of his medications. Despite receiving some assistance from fundraising efforts like this year's Tele-Miracle, the family still finds it challenging to cover all expenses associated with Zach's treatment.

In a statement to CTV, the provincial government said they are “actively” working to address the shortage of pediatric specialists, including gastroenterologists.

However, for families like Zach's, access to specialized care for rare conditions remains a pressing issue.

Both Zach and Alyssa depart for Toronto on Saturday morning, hopeful for answers and support in their ongoing journey with Zach's medical condition.