Stay informed with the LNN Daily Newsletter
The Ortega family. (Supplied by LCO International)

Food drive to support Lethbridge family with five-year-old afflicted with cancer

Jan 10, 2020 | 5:00 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The people of Lethbridge will come together on Saturday, January 11th to help out a local family in need.

Five-year-old Jennifer Ortega was diagnosed with a large cancerous tumour on her kidney in November 2019.

A video produced by LCO International that goes in-depth into the family’s situation can be viewed below.

Connecting Our Community Lethbridge (COCL) Spokesperson Mallory Kristjanson and City Councillor Blaine Hyggen have teamed up with LCO International to aid the Ortega family.

Originally, Kristjanson told LNN that Jennifer’s parents were both laid off of work due to them having to travel to Calgary at least once per week for medical treatment and to look after Jennifer and their two sons. She has since clarified that the parents had not been laid off or fired, and had instead asked their employer to be put on a long-term leave.

“We wanted to come together as a community to invite Lethbridge to stand and support the Ortega family through coming together by creating a month worth of meals.”

They will be holding a food drive at the LDS church on 4105 Forestry Ave South from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

The public is encouraged to bring donations of food or gift cards. Community members can also volunteer to prepare meals.

Especially for younger children, she believes that helping out in this matter will be a valuable lesson in compassion and empathy.

“We are inviting children and their families to create cards of encouragement, continuing to encourage this little girl that children within our community of Lethbridge are standing together, that we are standing behind the Ortega family.”

Efforts are already underway to support the family.

A digital food drive has been set up on MealTrain.com for people to commit to giving food to the Ortegas, while LCO International is accepting monetary donations on their website.

For anyone who wishes to donate food, the family asks that they not include red meats or pork.

For local news delivered daily to your email inbox, subscribe for free to the Lethbridge News Now newsletter here. You can also download the Lethbridge News Now mobile app in the Google Play and the Apple App Stores.