CALGARY -- Three-month-old Lucy Van Doormaal is not expected to live to see her second birthday unless she receives costly gene therapy for her spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
Now, a Calgary-based business owner has organized a fundraising auction to help assist the B.C. girl's family in their effort to raise $3 million for a single dose of Zolgensma to treat her neuromuscular disorder.
Zolgensma is believed to be the most expensive drug in the world and is not covered by Canadian health care.
Ashley Jondreau, the owner of Millies Little Closet, donated more than $2,000 — all of her store's sales from July 6 — to the cause.
"As a mom, I knew I had to do something and use my community, as a small shop, and raise some money for her and help the family out," she said.
Jondreau has arranged to have more than 100 vendors donate items for an upcoming online auction to fund Lucy's life-saving treatment.
"We're holding an auction on the Life for Lucy Instagram page at the end of July," explained Jondreau. "We're already planning one for August because we've had an overwhelming amount of messages wanting to help Lucy and her mom and her family out.
The first auction will take place from July 20-23 on the lifeforlucy_ Instagram account
"There's over 150 items that you can bid on and they ship across Canada."
All of the money raised in the auction will contribute to the ongoing Life for Lucy – Conquering SMA GoFundMe campaign that, as of Wednesday morning, has raised more than $940,000 as it continues toward its $3 million goal.
The Van Doorsaals aren't the lone Canadian family facing an SMA diagnosis and the daunting cost of Zolgensma. The family of 28-month-old Kaysen Martin of Edmonton is asking the province to fund the treatment for their son.
With files from CTV Vancouver and CTV Edmonton
