An Edmonton family is hoping the province will help to foot the bill of a costly surgery their disfigured toddler needs. An American surgeon is scheduled to operate on the little boy next week, but if the funds aren't approved, the surgery will be postponed.

Mike Flynn and Nicole Champagne's two-and-a-half-year-old son Maddox was born with a severe birth defect.

"They didn't even know what it was at first, so we didn't know if it was life-threatening," said Nicole.

Specialists have determined that Maddox has a rare condition called lymphatic malformation. Local doctors have tried injecting medicine into the boy's swollen area, but treatment has stopped when it failed to make a difference. 

The family has now found a doctor who specializes in blood vessel abnormalities. Maddox recently made the trip out to see the New York based surgeon to find out what could be done.

"Unfortunately since his eye has been closed for so long, he has probably lost all vision in that eye. I believe it's time something was done for him," said Dr. Milton Waner.

The family says the surgery comes with a hefty price tag of $50,000. The young couple says they can't come up with that money on their own, so they have written a letter to the province's out-of-country health services committee hoping for help.

The doctor says if Maddox does not get the surgery, things could get worse for the little boy.

"The masses will grow, they're not going to stay where they are now so the disfigurement will get worse and worse," he said.

So now, the family waits and holds out for hope.

"I'm just so grateful for this doctor in New York who is able to do something, but if worst case scenario, there was nothing -- I would still love him," said Nicole. "He's no different in my eyes, he's beautiful."

A trust fund has been set up for Maddox Flynn. For more information on making a donation, you can e-mail the family here.

With files from Susan Amerongen