The parents of a Summerland toddler decided to bypass red tape in order to control their daughter’s seizures. Two-year-old Kyla Williams had been suffering from hundreds of seizures a day and was not given a positive future.
“Every time she seizures her brain deteriorates, so she was not given a long life," Kyla’s mother Courtney said.
"[Doctors said] she's going to have a very short life and, you know, we might as well start planning the funeral for her right away," said Jared Williams Kyla’s father.
The family heard about a marijuana oil that could help their daughter. But Health Canada will only prescribe medicinal pot to be smoked. The two-year-old, who once had 200 seizures a day, now takes two drops of the oil daily and has not had a seizure in three weeks. Kyla’s grandmother Elaine Nuessler said the legal uncertainty should not prevent the family from helping their daughter.
"The first product we got, we had to meet somebody in a parking lot," Nuessler said.
Kyla’s grandfather Chris Nuessler is a former police officer and has now become an advocate for marijuana.
"Not only on behalf of Kyla and my family but in regards to all the other kids across Canada and North America," he said.
Isaac Oommen, the BC Compassion Club communications coordinator, said Health Canada needs to make some changes.
"Health Canada has to take this feedback from people that have brought them to court over and over again and actually provide a program that works for people," he said.
Despite the unconventional means of obtaining the oil, the family said the effects were worth it.
Elaine Nuessler said discovering the oil has helped the family immensely.
“Courtney phoned me so excited, you know ‘Mom, she hasn't had a seizure.’ I can't say what that did for us," Nuessler said through tears.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Kent Molgat
