Airdrie girl with life-threatening illness heartbroken to miss Monday concert by her idol Shawn Mendes
Airdrie girl with life-threatening illness heartbroken to miss Monday concert by her idol Shawn Mendes
All a 14-year-old Airdrie girl named Kaley Biggar wanted was to see Shawn Mendes sing on Monday, but then she received a life-threatening diagnosis.
Biggar was diagnosed with a yeast infection in her blood and for the past seven weeks, has been a patient at the Alberta Children's Hospital, where she's receiving an aggressive antibiotic treatment to clear up the infection, according to Dana Leann, a friend of the Biggar family.
Further complicating matters, Biggar is being transferred to Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton next week. There, on July 11, she's scheduled to have open heart surgery, and get a pacemaker she's had since childhood replaced in the hopes of curing her.
Shawn Mendes performs in concert during Q102's iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2018 at the Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, in Philadelphia. (Photo by Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP)
Biggar's kidney function is declining as well, which makes the surgery even more necessary.
Because of the threat of contracting any virus, Biggar can't go see the pop star perform Monday night at the Saddledome in Calgary because even if she caught a cold, that would result in a six-week delay for her surgery.
Kaley Biggar at Children's Hospital in Calgary
Biggar was born with multiple, life-threatening birth defects and has had 44 surgeries, with two more scheduled for the next four weeks. She was born with three holes in her heart and is 100 per cent feeding tube dependent.
The Alberta Children's Hospital has reached out to Mendes with no luck yet.
The Biggar family wants the public to share her story in the hopes of getting the singer's attention.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada should loosen visa requirements to allow more Ukrainian refugees: report
A new report says Canada needs to change its federal visa policy to speed up the admission of Ukrainian refugees, which has slowed to a trickle.
Canadian army veteran charged with murder after mass shooting in Belize nightclub
A Canadian Armed Forces veteran has been charged with murder in connection to a mass shooting in Belize that left two people dead and eight others injured.
B.C. actress hit in the chest by bullet in L.A. shooting last month
A B.C. performer is recovering after taking a bullet to the chest in Los Angeles last month.
Well-known Brampton, Ont. real estate agent, media personality savagely attacked outside home
A well-known real estate agent and media personality in Brampton, Ont. was viciously attacked in broad daylight in his own driveway by three men, two of whom appeared to be wielding an axe and a machete.
More Canadians report strong attachment to their language than to Canada: poll
A new survey finds more Canadians report a strong attachment to their primary language than to other markers of identity, including the country they call home.
Social media model arrested in Hawaii on murder charge
Law enforcement in Hawaii on Wednesday arrested social media model Courtney Clenney on a charge of second-degree murder with a deadly weapon.
Doctors call for action as growing number of Canadians dying from common food preservative
Doctors are among those calling for tighter regulation of sodium nitrite as a growing number of Canadians are dying after intentionally ingesting unsafe quantities of the common food preservative in its pure form.
Olivia Newton-John to receive state memorial service in Australia
Olivia Newton-John, the singer and 'Grease' star who died on Monday in the United States, will receive a state memorial service in Australia, Victorian state Premier Dan Andrews announced Thursday.
Saskatoon mother accused of faking death says she 'was left with no choice'
A Saskatoon mother who stands accused of faking her own death, as well as her son's, and illegally entering the U.S. is defending her actions.
Edmonton
-
2 Edmonton seniors with dementia missing after alarm at care facility
Edmonton Police Service issued a missing persons notice for two local seniors with dementia early Thursday morning.
-
Charges pending after cyclist struck in crosswalk
An 18-year-old sustained serious injuries when he was hit by a driver who was heading onto Anthony Henday Drive Wednesday afternoon.
-
WEATHER
WEATHER | Josh Classen's forecast: Hot temperatures, scattered precipitation risk
The heat comes with a side of "precipitation risk" over the next few days.
Vancouver
-
B.C. highway report: Route closed in both directions due to mudslides
A stretch of B.C. highway was closed overnight in both directions due to mudslides in the area.
-
Coquihalla Highway crash causes $100K of damage to luxury sports car
A B.C. crash that caused $100,000 worth of damage to a luxury sports car has prompted a warning from police about how costly it can be when drivers don't check their blind spots.
-
3 illegal ride-hail drivers fined in Richmond, RCMP say
Police in Richmond issued three tickets to drivers allegedly working for unlicensed ride-hailing companies late last month.
Atlantic
-
Wildfires and a closed highway didn't stop a Newfoundland town's Come Home Year party
Wildfires shut down the highway into town, the band had to be boated in and some guests made an exit on a fishing vessel, but the Newfoundland town of Harbour Breton hosted its Come Home Year party last weekend anyway.
-
Private medical clinic sets up shop in Dartmouth, raising questions about impact on public system
A private medical clinic has set up shop in Dartmouth, N.S., and although there's no signage outside the property yet, the Quebec-based health firm Algomed already has more than 200 patients registered at its private clinic.
-
'Fall from grace': Former CEO of IWK Health Centre sentenced to 5 months in jail for fraud
The former CEO of the IWK Health Centre has been sentenced to five months in jail for using public money to pay for more than $45,000 worth of personal expenses.
Vancouver Island
-
NEW
NEW | Great Gatsby-themed lawn bowling fundraiser returns to Victoria in support of childhood cancer research
The Great Gatsbowl, a 1920s-themed night of fun, frivolity and lawn bowling all in support of childhood cancer research is returning to Victoria this month.
-
'Never seen them stuck on there': Transport truck lands on highway median in Campbell River, B.C.
A commercial truck driver escaped serious injuries after the rig he was driving ended up on top of a concrete barrier Wednesday morning in Campbell River, B.C.
-
'This was a bizarre incident': Man arrested after kayakers struck by log pushed off cliff near Nanaimo
Mounties say a pair of kayakers are lucky to have escaped serious injury after a man pushed a large log over a cliff and onto their boats in the waters off Nanaimo, B.C.
Toronto
-
Young girl safely returned home after found wandering on the tracks at Toronto subway station
A young girl has been safely reunited with her parents after a scary close call with a TTC train at Warden Subway station overnight.
-
Investigators to speak about brazen machete attack on Brampton, Ont. real estate agent
Police plan to release more details about a brazen daylight attack on a Brampton, Ont. media personality last week that was caught on surveillance camera.
-
Five things experts say could ease pressures on Ontario's health-care system
Temporary emergency room closures and increased wait times have become increasingly common in Ontario as the province's health-care system grapples with staffing shortages.
Montreal
-
2 shootings within minutes of each other in Montreal leave 1 dead, 2 injured
Two shootings that occurred within minutes of each other in Montreal's northeast end have left one person dead and two others injured.
-
Religious minorities feel less safe, welcome in Quebec since Bill 21 was adopted: survey
A new study shows that religious minorities in Quebec, particularly women, feel less safe and less welcome in the social fabric of society since the adoption of the province's secularism law, commonly known as Bill 21.
-
Montreal public health investigating 3 cases of Legionnaires' Disease
Montreal public health officials are investigating three cases of Legionnaires' Disease, including one death.
Ottawa
-
What you need to know about the Queensway closure this weekend
Hwy. 417 will be closed between the Metcalfe and Carling/Kirkwood exits from 8 p.m. Thursday until Monday at 6 a.m.
-
NEW THIS MORNING
NEW THIS MORNING | Royal Canadian Mint to launch new $1 coin featuring jazz legend Oscar Peterson
A legendary Canadian jazz pianist will be featured on a new run of $1 circulation coins, the Royal Canadian Mint has announced.
-
Ottawa fire crews contain garage blaze in south end
Ottawa fire crews kept a garage fire in the city's south end from spreading into a home Thursday morning.
Kitchener
-
Man pleads guilty to threatening prime minister during Cambridge campaign stop
A man has pleaded guilty to uttering a threat against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a campaign stop in Cambridge last year.
-
-
Surgeries cancelled at Cambridge Memorial Hospital as staffing issues mount
Cambridge Memorial Hospital (CMH) has cancelled several surgeries over the last two days as staffing pressures combined with bed capacity limits put pressure on the overloaded system.
Saskatoon
-
Saskatoon mother accused of faking death says she 'was left with no choice'
A Saskatoon mother who stands accused of faking her own death, as well as her son's, and illegally entering the U.S. is defending her actions.
-
Former students of Saskatoon school allege sexual abuse in $25M legal claim
Former students are working to bring a class action lawsuit against the Saskatoon school where they allege they suffered physical and sexual abuse.
-
Two children at centre of Sask. Amber Alert found safe in South Dakota, suspect arrested
The Meade County Sheriff’s Office in South Dakota said it has arrested the man wanted in connection with an Amber Alert in Saskatchewan.
Northern Ontario
-
Family event at Victory Park in Sudbury's Donovan area
A family event is being held Thursday at Sudbury's Victory Park on Frood Road to celebrate the revitalization of the Indigenous EarlyON Child and Family Centre.
-
Canadian army veteran charged with murder after mass shooting in Belize nightclub
A Canadian Armed Forces veteran has been charged with murder in connection to a mass shooting in Belize that left two people dead and eight others injured.
-
Social media model arrested in Hawaii on murder charge
Law enforcement in Hawaii on Wednesday arrested social media model Courtney Clenney on a charge of second-degree murder with a deadly weapon.
Winnipeg
-
Victim stabbed after denying cigarette request: Winnipeg police
A 65-year-old man was stabbed earlier in the week after he denied the suspect’s request for a cigarette, according to the Winnipeg Police Service.
-
'They want to honour the music': Teenage Head continues tour after guitarist's death
Canadian punk rock band Teenage Head will continue their tour, including a stop in Winnipeg next week, after the death of guitarist Gord Lewis last weekend.
-
Canadian army veteran charged with murder after mass shooting in Belize nightclub
A Canadian Armed Forces veteran has been charged with murder in connection to a mass shooting in Belize that left two people dead and eight others injured.
Regina
-
Missing children, parent found unharmed: Regina police
Three missing young children, including an infant, have been located unharmed, the Regina Police Service (RPS) said in a news release.
-
Two charter flights bring more displaced Ukrainians to Regina
Two charter flights with approximately 230 displaced Ukrainian residents arrived in Regina Wednesday night from Warsaw, Poland, after a brief layover in Edmonton, Alta.
-
'Our city has tons to offer': Mayor looking forward to upcoming I Love Regina Day
Mayor Sandra Masters is encouraging everyone to come out to the 20th anniversary edition of I Love Regina Day, which takes place this coming Saturday in Victoria Park.