Children’s Organ Transplant Association gives hope and makes miracles | Letter

Published 7:37 pm Thursday, April 21, 2011

Giving hope, making miracles – the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) has been doing this for 25 years. In Auburn, a group of caring and committed people is working to give hope, and possibly make a miracle for 11-year-old Cullen Steele.  Cullen has pulmonary hypertension and needs a heart and double lung transplant.

COTA is helping the Steele family with transplant-related expenses such as food and lodging while they are at the transplant center; transportation to and from the transplant center; co-pays, deductibles and medication expenses and assistance with household expenses while a parent is out of work during the time of the transplant.  All of these expenses add up quickly and stand in the way of a child receiving a life-saving transplant.  But you can help.

April is National Donate Life Month. More than 100,000 U.S. patients are waiting for a solid organ transplant, with more than 30,000 searching for a cord blood, marrow or stem cell match.  Every day, 19 people die waiting for an organ transplant.

To support our community fundraising campaign and to register as an organ donor go to www.COTAforCullen.com to learn how you can help give hope.

Larry Proud

Public Relations Coordinator – COTA