A LAVENTILLE family is desperately trying to raise $70,000 so that their son can undergo surgery for a congenital condition in Canada within the next two weeks.

Donnel Weekes, 11, was born with an imperforated anus, and as such has had a colostomy so that he can pass out faeces. However, the situation of the boy, who only started school at Belmont Boys' Government Primary, has grown increasingly worse as he now requires regular antibiotics.

No hospital in the country has the facilities to perform surgery to correct Weekes's condition and he was placed on a waiting list.

After several years on the waiting list in Trinidad, he was finally accepted into the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Ontario, where he expected to undergo surgery on September 22.

The family has to raise $66,713.70 in total to take care of airfare, accommodation, food and transportation costs for the trip.

"If we miss this opportunity we may never get it again because he will become too old to repair his problem," said his mother Maria Noel.

Anyone wishing to help the family can make a donation to First Citizens account number 701304.