B.C. approves $400,000 for 9-year-old's life-saving brain surgery in Germany

Nathan Hepburn, 9, has a rare and aggressive condition in his brain — an arteriovenous malformation in his thalamus — that could rupture or form aneurysms without treatment. The treatment doesn't exist in North America. After months of rejections, B.C. reversed course and approved $400,000 to cover the final surgeries Nathan needs in Germany.

Natasha Hepburn, Nathan's mother and a single parent, had been crowdfunding to cover costs after the province initially called the procedures "unproved and experimental." Nathan has already completed two surgeries, which have repaired about half of his AVM. The provincial funding will cover what's needed to fully cure his condition.

Ravi Kahlon, B.C.'s outgoing Minister of Health, personally reached out to Natasha after learning about the treatment's early success through advocacy from MLAs on both sides of the aisle. "He said he's a dad, and he couldn't overlook that information," Natasha said. Signing off on Nathan's funding was Kahlon's last act before stepping away from politics.

Natasha is still crowdfunding for flights and accommodations. "I may be a single mom, but I've never felt alone through this because I've had all of you, and I'm so grateful," she said.