An 11-year-old Winnipeg girl who is in desperate need of a liver transplant is in Toronto awaiting surgery, her family says.

Allexis Siebrecht, who has been waiting eight months for a donor, is at Sick Kids Hospital, her mother confirmed to CTV News on Sunday evening.

The life-saving operation is expected to take place either later Sunday evening or Monday morning.

The donated liver is from a recently deceased woman.

Her family was notified late Saturday night, and told they had an hour to get to the airport.

Siebrecht left Winnipeg via air ambulance early Sunday morning.

During Siebrecht's months-long wait for a transplant, her family mounted awareness campaigns, asking people to see if they are a viable living donor match.

In addition to getting the word out about organ donation, the family has been fundraising to help cover medical costs and travel expenses to Toronto.

Allexis needs a liver transplant to help her combat biliary atresia, a rare liver disease that can be fatal.