RAMONA -- A Ramona family turned to an unconventional drug in a desperate attempt to save their baby’s life. Now, they want to meet President-elect Donald Trump in hopes of changing his mind on medical marijuana.
Doctors didn't expect Sadie Higuera to live very long after she was born. The 3-year-old has Schinzel-Giedion Syndrome, a genetic disorder that comes with a very short life span.
Some of Sadie’s medical issues included kidney problems, bone deficiencies and up to 300 seizures each day. All of this leaves her tiny body red and swollen.
"We were told that epilepsy was going to end her life," said her father, Brian Higuera.
Baby Sadie also had a hole in her heart, leading doctors to suggest a drug that would end the little girl's life within a month.
That's when her father brought up the unthinkable.
"I've heard of medical marijuana. What do you think?" Higuera said. "(His wife) said well, that's pretty drastic."
The couple turned to RSHO, Real Scientific Hemp Oil, made in Poway.
"There's hardly any THC in it," Higuera said. "Less than 1%"
10News Anchor Itica Milanes asked how long it took them to notice if the hemp oil was working.
"That was the amazing part. It was within 10 minutes," Higuera said with a smile. "She wasn't fluttering and twitching, it was like, whoa."
That's when the Higueras reached out to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
"We were really thinking what would Sadie really want?" Higuera said. "She would want to give back."
The wish? To meet President-elect Donald Trump
The family wants to share Sadie's story in the hopes of one day taking medical marijuana off of the schedule 1 drug list. That would allow doctors to research treatments using marijuana. The Higueras say they would like to see other children thrive the way Sadie has after using hemp oil.
