An 11-year-old Abbotsford girl who has battled a rare bone cancer and has had to learn to walk again will be featured on a TV segment during Variety Week (Sept. 14-18).
Greta Loewen will be featured on Global BC’s News Hour at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
The week raises funds for Variety – The Children’s Charity, which supports B.C. families of kids with special needs.
Greta was diagnosed in December 2014 with a rare and aggressive form of bone cancer called Ewing’s sarcoma after a lesion was found on her spine.
Her story was featured in the news when the community rallied with various fundraisers – including a GoFundMe campaign – to support her parents, Heather and Tim Loewen.
RELATED: Community rallies for girl fighting bone cancer
The couple, who own HOFA Art Supplies and Framing in Abbotsford, had to take time off work to care for Greta while she went through treatment at BC Children’s Hospital, as well as in Boston and Toronto.
The funds raised assisted the family with medical costs not covered by the provincial Medical Services Plan and for additional expenses, such as travel and accommodation.
Greta was paralyzed from the cancer and subsequent surgeries and radiation treatments. She had to learn to walk again, but then developed scoliosis, which continues to require regular treatment as well as possible surgical interventions.
In March of this year, Variety provided Greta with regular physiotherapy sessions and a back brace to help support and correct her scoliosis.
She was scheduled for back surgery earlier this year, but it was cancelled because of COVID-19. But now, because of the physiotherapy and the back brace, doctors believe she might not need the immediate surgery. They will re-evaluate in October.
Also in March, Variety provided Greta’s older brother Isaac with a Roger Focus hearing device. Isaac has profound sensorineural hearing loss in his left ear due to an absent cochlear nerve and autism spectrum disorder.
Visit variety.bc.ca for more information or to make a donation to Variety Week.
RELATED: Greta fights cancer battle in Boston
