Family forced to raise $600K for daughter’s U.S. liver transplant
Alberta’s refusal to perform a liver transplant for their three-year-old cancer-stricken daughter has led a Calgary family to raise $600,000 for surgery in the U.S.
Greta Marofke’s family’s been told she’s ineligible to undergo the procedure after the return of hepatoblastoma — a form of liver cancer found in fewer than one in a million children.
They’ve turned to a physician at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital who’s offered them hope for a new liver but at a lofty price tag — $600,000, said the girl’s mom, Lindsey.
“That’s down quite a bit from the original quote of $1.2 million US; they’ve discounted, they’re quite compassionate,” said Marofke.
But the woman said she’s profoundly disappointed with Alberta Health Services’ refusal to perform the surgery.
“We were shocked and our doctors were shocked,” said Marofke.
“We didn’t think there’d be any problem.”
When the girl was two, she was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, which was fought successfully — seemingly — with chemotherapy.
But four months after a clean bill of health, the cancer was again detected last August in the girl, who’s had over 70 per cent of her liver removed. The family is convinced the only way to banish the disease is with a liver transplant.
Marofke said AHS hasn’t detailed why they won’t go ahead with the transplant but believes it’s due to the presence of cancer, the partial removal of Greta’s liver and the perceived slim chance of success.
“The organ donor program in Alberta is in a deplorable state and they have to be very careful in how they allocate them,” she said.
In a statement, the AHS said their “thoughts remain with Greta and her family during this difficult time. ”
They also say there’s still a chance for a transplant procedure to arise in such cases, though it also pointed to a procedure known as radioembolization that’s more available to treat liver cancer. “The program has and may proceed with listing a patient for transplant depending on the individual’s specific medical condition,” they stated. On the prospect of surgery in Alberta, after also being turned down in Ontario, Marofke said, “No one’s holding their breath it’s going to be covered.” Instead, the family was referred by an online support group to Dr. James Geller in Cincinnati who voiced optimism a transplant would succeed for Greta after it bore fruit in five of six recent cases, said the mom. “She’s been placed on a list today and we’re heading down there next week to wait for a liver to become available,” she said. On Saturday, a musical fundraiser is being held for Greta at Getto Boys Bar & Grill, 720 16th Avenue N.W. beginning at 11 a.m. Tickets the Guitars for Greta Music Festival featuring 30 bands are available at eventbrite. ca. About $300,000 has already been raised for the medical expenses, said Marofke, adding she’ll stop at almost nothing to save her daughter, who “doesn’t feel sorry for herself because she’s always been in hospitals.”
“At the end of the day, I know I’ve done everything I can.”