Community support growing for young Red Deer girl battling leukemia

“She was at the time, an active kindergartner and really into ballet and soccer,” recalls Dyck. “At that point she needed to have blood transfusions and was going for chemo every weekend. Then of course, the pandemic hit.”

Dyck says COVID-19 has significantly impacted Meghan’s ability to be around people.

“Her immune system already goes down with the chemo treatment,” explains Dyck. “Then with COVID being even higher risk, she had to be that much more careful being around people. So the isolation kind of began there.”

At first, Dyck says the Haggas family grieved for the life Meghan could have had without cancer. Now, however, they’re just grateful to have their daughter.

“They talk a lot about the support of the community,” says Dyck. “They don’t have any biological family in this area, so the community has been a big support for them.”

Dyck says Meghan’s weekly chemotherapy treatments in Calgary have forced the family to go down to one income and one vehicle, with mom Susan staying home with her daughter.

“A lot of overnight trips out there, so there’s extra expenses with food and accommodation,” remarks Dyck. “Often they’d be able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House, but sometimes it’s full, so then they have to stay at a hotel. So that’s been really hard on them – a lot of financial stress in that with less money coming in and more expenses.”

Dyck says she’s known the Haggas family for a few years now, as both families are involved in the Junior Forest Wardens or Red Deer Woodchucks program.

“This is our third year doing that program with them and we’ve just become friends,” she explains. “Ever since the beginning our families just kind of clicked. We’ve both got children around the same age and they all get along really well.”

Dyck says Meghan’s father Mark and her older brother Ryan, 9, all provide wonderful support for Meghan, including their family dog Treasure.

“When Meghan’s at home, before treatments and after treatments, she’ll snuggle with Treasure quite a lot,” says Dyck. “Treasure seems to give her that hope and bravery that she needs to get through the treatments. Treasure can’t go to the hospital with them, so they have a little stuffed dog that looks similar to Treasure that she brings to the hospital with her for support.”

Meghan and Treasure (Supplied)

Dyck describes Meghan as an outgoing, adventurous, kind-hearted, and really brave young girl – noting her love of the outdoors, including hiking, canoeing, tobogganing, skiing, and swimming.

Dyck’s inspiration for the GoFundMe campaign came about two months ago when Meghan’s mom shaved her head in a show of solidarity with her daughter.

“It just got me to thinking, maybe she needs support too,” explains Dyck.

“Then I decided to shave my head and we had some friends from Red Deer Woodchucks that came in and we got together and all shaved our heads,” says Dyck. “So I feel so blessed to have started something that I believe God has just ran with and it’s gone above and beyond what I could have ever imagined. The community has been amazing.”

Dyck says the road ahead for Meghan is anticipated to include maintenance treatments once or twice a month for the next two years, before hopefully going into remission.

by Sheldon Spackman

Community support growing for young Red Deer girl battling leukemia

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