Advertisement

Calgary woman helps Manitoba toddler struggling with life-threatening disease

Click to play video: 'Calgary woman helps save a life, 1100 kilometers away'
Calgary woman helps save a life, 1100 kilometers away
A Calgary woman is part of a big effort to save a 15-month-old boy’s life. Gil Tucker explains how she's doing everything she can to help from 1,100 kilometres away – Jan 13, 2017

Amrit Hehar has never met Tegveer Minhas, but she’s putting in a lot of time this week to try to help save his life.

The 15-month-old boy from Brandon, Man. was diagnosed with leukemia in October 2016, just a few days after his first birthday.

His parents, Sukhbir and Dilpreet, spent the next two months with their son, getting treatment at the children’s hospital in Winnipeg.

“The chemotherapy worked well,” Sukhbir said, adding that with doctors now hoping to do a bone marrow transplant, “it’s the last resort to save somebody’s life.”

15-month-old leukemia patient Tegveer Minhas. Provided to Global News

Hehar is trying to help by making the rounds at South Asian businesses in Calgary, distributing posters promoting a donor search.

Story continues below advertisement

“We’re going to host a bone marrow registry camp at the temple,” Hehar said, after learning about Tegveer’s struggle online.

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.

Get weekly health news

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“It takes a couple of minutes for a swab test that could possibly save this baby’s life,” Hehar added.

She’s appealing to those who would make the best match to attend the clinic, asking South Asians between the ages of 17 and 35 years old to come to the Dashmesh Culture Centre in northeast Calgary on Sunday, Jan. 15.

15-month-old leukemia patient Tegveer Minhas. Global News

Hehar has a personal connection with donor searches.

“I have a really good friend who got diagnosed with kidney disease six or seven years ago and she’s still struggling to this day finding a donor,” she said. “So seeing this baby struggle so much, I want to help him as much as I could.”

Story continues below advertisement

Tegveer’s parents are very grateful for the help.

“It’s really motivating for us that people are coming forward that don’t even know us,” Dilpreet said. “And there are a lot of prayers that are coming our way.

“That gives us hope that he’s going to be fine; he’s going to be successful in his treatment.”

Sponsored content

AdChoices