B.C. health minister apologizes to family of 10-year-old girl with rare disease

By Canadian Press on July 18, 2025.

VICTORIA — British Columbia Health Minister Josie Osborne is “sincerely apologizing” to the family of a 10-year-old girl on Vancouver Island with a rare disease after a public fight over the province’s decision to cut off paying for her medication.

Osborne issued the apology at a news conference after her government announced it would restore the drug funding for Charleigh Pollock, the only person in B.C. with Batten Disease.

The province cut off funding last month for the drug called Brineura — which costs about $1 million per year — citing an expert committee, which said the drug was no longer helping to slow the progress of the girl’s disease.

But Osborne personally called Pollock’s mother Jori Foles Thursday to tell her that government would restore funding, citing another group of experts.

Osborne says Pollock should not be suffering because of “significant disagreement” among experts.

Pollock’s mother Jori Fales celebrated in a video posted on social media, saying the “nightmare is over,” adding she is “beyond grateful” to supporters who backed her cause to have the funding restored.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2025.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press