(Photo supplied via GoFundMe)

By Troy Gillard

long road ahead

Support pouring in for Red Deer baby battling brain tumour

May 16, 2020 | 8:27 AM

The community is rallying behind a Red Deer baby fighting a brain tumour.

On March 20, Melissa and Mark Stetson celebrated the arrival of baby Isla.

Her Aunt, Kelsey Graham, says that when Isla was a few weeks old, she developed a lazy eye with a dilated pupil and a permanently sideways gaze.

“Isla was initially referred to a pediatric ophthalmologist on May 6 and was admitted to Red Deer Regional Hospital later that day,” Graham writes on the GoFundMe page she’s launched in support of her niece, sister and brother-in-law.

“By that evening, she had been transferred to Alberta Children’s Hospital in Calgary for further testing. The following day after some investigations and a MRI, the doctors shared the devastating news that they had found a malignant brain tumor in 7-week-old Isla.”

RESPONSIBILITIES OF A TRUSTEE ADDRESSED

Day 2 of LaGrange v. Red Deer Catholic: "This is not about cancel culture," says division counsel

7h ago

conducted energy weapon utilized

RCMP arrest man after confrontation inside Bower Place

9h ago

one suspect still sought

One charged after alleged armed robbery in Bower Place parking lot

9h ago

Graham says Isla now requires more testing for doctors to definitively determine what they are dealing with and how to treat it.

“Since the family has been given this news, Isla’s other eye has (begun) to deteriorate and the doctors say she may lose her sight until they figure out the appropriate treatment,” says Graham, adding that the family will be traveling back and forth between Red Deer and Calgary for the foreseeable future.

Graham says the Stetson family is currently living off of Melissa’s limited maternity leave salary as Mark is taking time off work to be near Melissa and Isla throughout this difficult time.

On Friday, Graham wrote that Isla has been at home since Sunday “spending quality time with family and getting all of the love and snuggles.”

Graham says the family will be heading back to Calgary on Monday for more tests including another MRI and spinal tap.

“If these tests do not provide enough information for the team of doctors to come up with a definitive diagnosis and treatment plan, Isla will require a brain biopsy,” she adds. “Due to the location of the tumor within her brain, this will be a very complicated surgery that will require a post-operative stay in intensive care.”

As of Saturday morning, after just two days, more than $18,000 has been raised for the Stetson family. The link for the GoFundMe page can be found here.