National

Alberta Couple Allowed By Court To Keep Brain-dead Daughter Alive For A Month

The Canadian Press, 08 Dec, 2015 12:05 PM

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. — A couple in Lethbridge, Alta., will have a little more time with their eight-month-old daughter after a judge delayed a decision to take her off of life support.

Hermella Mammo was diagnosed with brain cancer at two months old and after surgery to remove a rare type of tumour, she contracted a virus that doctors say left her brain dead.

Her doctors said she would never recover and should be removed from life support, but the family disagreed.

Hermella’s parents say they’ve seen signs of life and went to court to fight for the legal right to keep her alive.

Just before proceedings began, lawyers with Alberta Health Services gave Hermella’s parents a stack of legal submissions and the judge ruled the couple should have more time to review that information.

Anna Motsyk, Hermella’s mother, says she believes her child will recover.

“We're so emotional, we're so happy that we have time and that she'll recover," she said. "We have one more month and she'll do good."

The family says they have no money for the case and made a plea for any lawyers to come forward and work with them for free, a plea echoed by the judge in the case.

The family has until Dec. 28 to file any new information in court.

In the meantime, Hermella will remain on life support until Jan. 4 when a decision will be made in her case.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Most In Canada: Report Says One In Three Manitoba Children Living In Poverty

Sid Frankel, one of the report's authors, says more children in Manitoba are slipping into poverty despite a provincial strategy introduced in 2009.

Most In Canada: Report Says One In Three Manitoba Children Living In Poverty

Overdose Deaths Could Be Reduced If More B.C. Doctors Used Database: Report

The report by the B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS says opioids such as oxycodone are increasingly being overprescribed for patients who become dependent on the medication.

Overdose Deaths Could Be Reduced If More B.C. Doctors Used Database: Report

Ontrio Police Denounce Trophy Hunting After Headless Deer Carcasses Found

Police say a resident found the carcasses — which were missing their heads and fur — around noon Monday in North Dumfries, near Cambridge.

Ontrio Police Denounce Trophy Hunting After Headless Deer Carcasses Found

Shaida Bandali, Former Rouge Valley Hospital Clerk Fined $36,000 For Selling Patient Information

Former hospital clerk Shaida Bandali has been sentenced to two years' probation, 300 hours of community service and $45,000 in penalties for handing over the personal information of new mothers to investment dealers

Shaida Bandali, Former Rouge Valley Hospital Clerk Fined $36,000 For Selling Patient Information

Wounded Oct. 22 Officer Tells His Story As 20 Honoured For Bravery

Const. Samearn Son was one of 20 parliamentary security officers and Mounties honoured Monday at RCMP headquarters for their bravery on Oct. 22 of last year.

Wounded Oct. 22 Officer Tells His Story As 20 Honoured For Bravery

Apparent Provincial Climate Unity Gives Trudeau Tailwind En Route To Paris

A meeting of Canada's first ministers Monday in Ottawa — the first in almost seven years — ended with 11 provinces and territories humming from the same environmental hymn book as Trudeau's newly elected Liberals.