My name is Kandace, a friend of Erika and Ed Baars. They need our help as their oldest son, Alexander, needs life saving treatment in Edmonton. We are asking for your help in raising funds to make these trips to Edmonton a little easier, and to help ease the stress of taking time away from work. This family needs to focus on getting their 17 year old son, Alexander, better and your support will go so far.

Any bit helps!

If you would prefer to e-transfer please reach out to the organizer(Kandace) and I will send along e-transfer information.

From Erika:

Alexander was born with Hypo-plastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). From when he was born until the age of seven he had eight open heart surgeries. The last one being a heart transplant. He has been healthy up until now.

In October of 2024 he ended up in the children’s hospital in Saskatoon, JPCH. He spent three weeks there while undergoing many, many tests and an appendectomy. It was found he had developed PTLD. It is post-transplant lymphoproliferative. It is a type of cancer caused from his anti-rejection medication and EBV. His body slowly got better while in the hospital and he was discharged after three weeks.

In December 2025 he was sent for a PETCT scan. It was found that he has many lesions that are growing in the lining of his lungs and some in his kidneys. Alexander was taken off one of his anti-rejection medications to help boost his body’s immune system to help fight this. He was sent to Edmonton for a biopsy to determine if it is PTLD, which it is. He also had another PETCT scan to see if his body was fighting it.

We found out January 26/2026 his body is not fighting it and he needs to start treatment of a drug called Rituximab. It is similar to chemotherapy, but is specifically for these types of cells. The treatment will have to be in Edmonton, which is 8 hours away from his home.

Mom, Erika, and Alexander will be travelling back and forth from Regina to Edmonton for these treatments. In order to do this Erika will need to take time off work until treatments are done. Dad, Ed, and his younger brother will be staying in Regina. We are asking for help in order to help pay for travel expenses and home expenses as those don’t stop in any situation.