Baby's liver transplant separates Nunavut family for nearly a year

The parents of a Kugluktuk baby in Yellowknife for medical treatment arelooking for help to reunite their family.

Ian Niptanatiak and Jordeen Tiktalek'sdaughterMandy recentlyunderwent a liver transplant in Edmonton.

Now age one,Mandywas firsthospitalizedin Yellowknife when she was four and a half months old, thenmedevacedto Edmonton. Her liver wasn't functioning properly.

Doctors told them that a transplant was necessary and the sooner the better.

Jordeensaid it was "heartbreaking" toget the news.

"She was getting sicker and sicker and they said if we were still waiting by March, April, she would be gone."

But Mandywas lucky.

"We only waited one month for a transplant," said Ian. "Some other families waited a year, two years."

"In the beginning it was hard but todayIthank God every day for her," said Jordeen.

Now Mandy ison the long road torecovery, though she will always be on medication. Shewas transferredfrom Edmonton to Yellowknife in May.

"I feel much better being closer to home," Jordeen said. "One step closer to home."

But Mandy won't be medically cleared to return home toKugluktuk for gooduntil November.

Meanwhile Jordeenhasn't been home for almost a year.Ian quit his job to come to Yellowknife asthe secondmedical travel escort Mandy requiresin caseJordeengets sick, as the childcannot be exposed to sick people.

"I already had four different escorts now, so he's the fifth one," said Jordeen.

The couple's three boys, ages 11, 8 and 4,are being looked after by relatives. Jordeen is concerned about the burden that's placing onher elderly mother, who is also caring forJordeen's father, so she'd liketo bring the boys to Yellowknife for a few weeks to give theirrelativesa break.

"I tried asking medical travel to see if they can come here [but] they can't do anything," she said.

Ian started a Gofundme page to try andraise $5,000the cost of three round trip tickets betweenKugluktukand Yellowknife.

The family is hopingMandymay also be able to go home to Nunavut for a few days next month aspreparation for her release in November.