Myla is a two-year-old little girl who was born with an extremely rare vascular malformation called a CM-AVM.
In simple terms, the blood vessels in Myla’s face, including areas around her cheek, mouth, nose, eye, and ear, did not form correctly because of a genetic mutation called RASA1. Because of this, blood does not flow normally through these areas, which causes serious complications and ongoing risks.
Myla’s condition is complex and life-threatening. She experiences daily bleeds of varying severity, along with swelling, discomfort, and changes to parts of her face, including her ear, nose, and mouth. It affects basic parts of daily life like eating, breathing, sleeping, hearing, and comfort. Her family lives in a constant state of alert, watching for bleeding, new swelling, increased pain, or changes that could mean her condition is progressing.
After exploring and exhausting available Canadian resources, and after seeking second opinions in the United States, the only remaining treatment option for Myla was specialized care with Dr. Colletti in Italy.
Myla has already travelled to Italy for one treatment, and her family has seen why this care is so urgently needed. Despite the severity of her condition and significant support from her medical team in Calgary, Myla’s application for Alberta out-of-country funding was denied, forcing her family to publicly fight and crowdfund for the next treatment their daughter urgently needs.