ESTEVAN — The local family is calling on the community for support as their daughter battles a rare and life-threatening condition.
Estevan family Meghan Schiestel and Martin Trepanier, along with their daughter Grace, are raising awareness and funds to help their other daughter, 13-year-old Elizabeth, who is fighting Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome (SMAS). The condition occurs when the first part of the small intestine is compressed between two arteries, blocking the small intestine. In Elizabeth's case, the symptoms have been severely debilitating and life threatening.
Elizabeth, described by her family and friends as sweet and funny, was once an energetic farm girl who excelled in Jiu-Jitsu and horseback riding, helping family sort cattle. Since developing SMAS, however, her condition has required numerous medical appointments across Saskatchewan.
In December 2024, the family learned there are no further treatment options available in the province. To receive the complex surgery Elizabeth needs, they must seek specialized care out of province or even internationally. The rarity of SMAS, which affects only 0.013 per cent of the global population, means few surgeons worldwide are equipped to perform the procedure.
A teaching surgeon has expressed willingness to train a Saskatchewan surgeon, but no local doctor has yet been able to take on the challenge, the family said.
To help cover the mounting medical expenses, the family is organizing a fundraiser at the Estevan Exhibition Hall on Feb. 1. The evening will feature dinner, live music, and both silent and live auctions.
Admission is $30, and children under 12 is $15. The bar opens at 5 p.m. and the supper is at 6 p.m.
Tickets and more event details can be found on the event’s Facebook page Support Elizabeth's Fight.
For those unable to attend, donations can be made via a GoFundMe campaign: Elizabeth’s SMAS Fight. The family is also documenting Elizabeth’s journey on her Facebook page: Elizabeth’s SMAS Fight.
In addition to the fundraiser, the family invites the community to show their support on Jan. 28, SMAS Awareness Day, by wearing purple and posting photos with the hashtag #liz_smas_fight.
“Let’s be Elizabeth’s village and help her return to the life she loves: school with her friends, Jiu-Jitsu, and horseback riding,” said Schiestel.
The expenses have been adding up for this family for years and they have a very expensive near future to get Elizabeth the lifesaving surgery that she needs. So the family friends are calling for broader support inviting the community to become Elizabeth's village and get her back where she deserves to be: in school with her friends, Jiu Jitsu and horseback riding.
