Baby Hermella's parents get free lawyers in life support fight

Two Calgary lawyers have joined the fight to keep a Lethbridge baby on life support.

Brendan Miller says he and Lynsey Mincher have offered their services to Will Mammo and Anna Motsyk pro bono.

"I think they're relieved," said Miller.

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The couple's eight-month-old baby, Hermella,was diagnosed at the age oftwo months with a rare form of cancer, whichwas successfully treated in Toronto.

After the surgery, she reportedly contracted a virus that left her brain dead but her parentssay Hermella responds to light, touch, voices and music.

Doctors told the parents Hermella would be taken off life support on Thursday but the couple filed an injunction application in an attempt to stop that.

On Monday, the couple begged a judge to order hospital staff to keep Hermella on life support while they sought a second opinion.A Court of Queen's bench judge adjourned that application so they could find a lawyer.

When Justice John Rooke asked why they didn't have one already, Mammo said they couldn't afford one.

Several lawyers reportedly stepped forward to offer their help free of cost to the couple.

Miller says he believes he andMincher were selected because of their areas of practice.

"This is something that I've done with a mix of child protection and constitutional lawso it made sense to step forward and help these people," said Miller.

The matter returns before Rooke on Jan. 4when the injunction application will be heard and most likely, decided on.