Okotoks family seeks organ donations for their baby daughter

Lukah Mitchell is awaiting a series of organ donation surgeries at the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton. (Supplied)

An Okotoks family is away from home this weekend, sitting by their daughter’s bedside inside an Edmonton hospital, awaiting a critical operation to save her life.

Lukah Mitchell was admitted to hospital in Calgary earlier this month when the one-year-old began exhibiting health issues.

Doctors discovered a large tumour inside the baby’s abdomen and immediately ordered surgery.

That’s when they learned that baby Lukah would have to undergo a series of other operations to replace a number of her organs affected by the tumour.

She was then airlifted to the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton to receive the organs.

Her parents Tanis and Dakota say their daughter’s case illustrates the importance of organ donation.

“We knew nothing about it,” Tanis said via a Skype interview. “We didn’t know it was an important thing. I had not thought about it before, especially for our kids. I never thought I would sign my kids up, but yeah we need a year old organ donor.”

Her father Dakota says that Lukah is still doing well.

“Every doctor that has come in is surprised to see her after hearing about her story. They are surprised she is still here and her vitals are as good as they are. People are praying for miracles and the last 72 hours has been a miracle of itself.”

A GoFundMe campaign to help the Mitchell family with expenses has exceeded $21,000 of its $30,000 goal.