Alberta
Red Deer family needs a little support as toddler spends 3rd birthday in Children’s Hospital

Article submitted by Roxzane Sisson Armstrong.



From gofundme
Her and Dad spent close to two weeks at the children’s hospital making changes to various medications and when we came home, Codeigh Mae’s hospital schedule was changed to twice a week – once for Albumin and bloodwork and once to get a shot to increase her red blood cell count, which seemed to keep dropping – a common complication of Congenital Nephrotic Syndrome and the secondary conditions it causes, such as blood clots and low iron.
We notice during this time home that Codeigh Mae doesn’t have the same energy levels, she’s puffy and she’s peeing less – even on Albumin days, when we’re used to getting very full wet diapers. After multiple instances of very high blood pressure, it was decided to send her back to the children’s hospital.
She’s now been there for a week and we’re not 100% sure what the going home plan looks like. She even spent her 3rd birthday in the hospital!
Codeigh Mae is really throwing these doctors for a loop. They’ve noticed her bloodwork will be dramatically different based on what time of day it’s taken at or whether it comes from her arm or her port. As soon as they get control of one set of numbers (for example, her sodium), other numbers will go crazy (like her potassium). Her blood pressure has also been hard to manage and on multiple occasions she has had what is called a hypertensive crisis, in which the blood pressure reaches dangerous levels. Her hemoglobin (or red blood cell count) has also been incredibly low – nearing transfusion territory, which we need to avoid for transplant reasons.
Yesterday, Dad met with the surgeon to discuss and get consent for a double nephrectomy. The actual term is Radical Bilateral Nephrectomy – radical meaning the whole kidney (not just a part of it) and bilateral meaning both kidneys.
Yes, you can live with no kidneys!
Essentially, her kidneys, which still function even though she’s on dialysis, are releasing a hormone that tells her blood vessels to constrict – which causes her blood pressure to rise. Remove the kidneys, remove the hormone and cascades that cause funkiness in her other numbers and you almost remove the problem. The dialysis becomes her kidneys entirely and we don’t have to worry about what the actual kidneys are doing and what role they place in the process.
While the surgeon feels comfortable doing the surgery while her hemoglobin is low, the team has ultimately decided to try to boost the hemoglobin as much as we can prior to surgery – which will hopefully negate the need for a transfusion during.
They expect at least another month before we go for the nephrectomy (hence why the title of this update includes May) and are optimistic that Dad and Codeigh Mae will get to come home before we’re admitted again for another undetermined amount of time.
So that’s what we know so far! Be sure to follow Caring for Codeigh Mae on Facebook for more regular updates as they happen:
http://facebook.com/codeigh.mae

Agriculture
Lacombe meat processor scores $1.2 million dollar provincial tax credit to help expansion

Alberta’s government continues to attract investment and grow the provincial economy.
The province’s inviting and tax-friendly business environment, and abundant agricultural resources, make it one of North America’s best places to do business. In addition, the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit helps attract investment that will further diversify Alberta’s agriculture industry.
Beretta Farms is the most recent company to qualify for the tax credit by expanding its existing facility with the potential to significantly increase production capacity. It invested more than $10.9 million in the project that is expected to increase the plant’s processing capacity from 29,583 to 44,688 head of cattle per year. Eleven new employees were hired after the expansion and the company plans to hire ten more. Through the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit, Alberta’s government has issued Beretta Farms a tax credit of $1,228,735.
“The Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit is building on Alberta’s existing competitive advantages for agri-food companies and the primary producers that supply them. This facility expansion will allow Beretta Farms to increase production capacity, which means more Alberta beef across the country, and around the world.”
“This expansion by Beretta Farms is great news for Lacombe and central Alberta. It not only supports local job creation and economic growth but also strengthens Alberta’s global reputation for producing high-quality meat products. I’m proud to see our government supporting agricultural innovation and investment right here in our community.”
The tax credit provides a 12 per cent non-refundable, non-transferable tax credit when businesses invest $10 million or more in a project to build or expand a value-added agri-processing facility in Alberta. The program is open to any food manufacturers and bio processors that add value to commodities like grains or meat or turn agricultural byproducts into new consumer or industrial goods.
Beretta Farms’ facility in Lacombe is a federally registered, European Union-approved harvesting and meat processing facility specializing in the slaughter, processing, packaging and distribution of Canadian and United States cattle and bison meat products to 87 countries worldwide.
“Our recent plant expansion project at our facility in Lacombe has allowed us to increase our processing capacities and add more job opportunities in the central Alberta area. With the support and recognition from the Government of Alberta’s tax credit program, we feel we are in a better position to continue our success and have the confidence to grow our meat brands into the future.”
Alberta’s agri-processing sector is the second-largest manufacturing industry in the province and meat processing plays an important role in the sector, generating millions in annual economic impact and creating thousands of jobs. Alberta continues to be an attractive place for agricultural investment due to its agricultural resources, one of the lowest tax rates in North America, a business-friendly environment and a robust transportation network to connect with international markets.
Quick facts
- Since 2023, there are 16 applicants to the Agri-Processing Investment Tax Credit for projects worth about $1.6 billion total in new investment in Alberta’s agri-processing sector.
- To date, 13 projects have received conditional approval under the program.
- Each applicant must submit progress reports, then apply for a tax credit certificate when the project is complete.
- Beretta Farms has expanded the Lacombe facility by 10,000 square feet to include new warehousing, cooler space and an office building.
- This project has the potential to increase production capacity by 50 per cent, thereby facilitating entry into more European markets.
Related information
Alberta
Alberta Independence Seekers Take First Step: Citizen Initiative Application Approved, Notice of Initiative Petition Issued

Alberta’s Chief Electoral Officer, Gordon McClure, has issued a Notice of Initiative Petition.
This confirms a Citizen Initiative application has been received and the Chief Electoral Officer has determined the requirements of section 2(3) of the Citizen Initiative Act have been met.
Approved Initiative Petition Information
The approved citizen initiative application is for a policy proposal with the following proposed question:
Do you agree that Alberta should remain in Canada?
The Notice of Initiative Petition, application, and statement provided by the proponent are available on Elections Alberta’s website on the Current Initiatives Petition page.
As the application was received and approved prior to coming into force of Bill 54: Election Statutes Amendment Act, the Citizen Initiative process will follow requirements set out in the Citizen Initiative Act as of June 30, 2025.
Next Steps
- The proponent must appoint a chief financial officer within 30 days (by July 30, 2025).
- Once the 30-day publication period is complete and a chief financial officer has been appointed, Elections Alberta will:
- issue the citizen initiative petition,
- publish a notice on the Current Initiatives Petition page of our website indicating the petition has been issued, specifying the signing period dates, and the number of signatures required for a successful petition, and
- issue the citizen initiative petition signature sheets and witness affidavits. Signatures collected on other forms will not be accepted.
More information on the process, the status of the citizen initiative petition, financing rules, third party advertising rules, and frequently asked questions may be found on the Elections Alberta website.
Elections Alberta is an independent, non-partisan office of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta responsible for administering provincial elections, by-elections, and referendums.
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