April 2010 - An Update from COTA

Here is an update on these children that The PEACE Fund has helped in the past:

Joshua Ray

Joshua is a three-year-old toddler from Smithfield, North Carolina who had his life-saving liver transplant at Duke University Children’s Hospital in Durham, North Carolina on September 10, 2007.

His volunteers have now raised more than $17,000 for transplant expenses.

We have not heard a lot from the family recently, but we often know that in a case like this, no news can be good news!

Easton Blanchard

Easton had his life-saving small bowel transplant at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh on June 30, 2008. His volunteers nearly met his goal of $35,000. Easton’s family had some local issues unrelated to COTA, and we removed their website so as not to cause them any additional problems. A case where a lot of what goes on in local communities is beyond our control, but be assured they are accessing funds in an appropriate fashion, and there is no concern that anything related to COTA is being mis-used or any unethical/illegal issues are taking place.

Logan Beirlien-Tyler

After a successful kidney transplant in November of 2007, Logan had been progressing with no signs of rejection. Though he struggled with other developmental issues, he was able to attend pre-school.

This past September found the Tyler’s at the hospital for nine days with complications but are grateful for his eventual recovery.

Thanks in large part to your grant, the family and volunteers have raised a total of $10,833.

Calvin Blevins

Young Calvin Blevins of Durham, North Carolina, had a successful bone marrow transplant in June of 2008, and returned home to prepare for a “normal” life for an elementary-aged child. His mother, April, has ongoing medical and transplant-related expenses for Calvin, and their campaign fund has been depleted with no more than $761.84 of the $25,053 originally raised remaining.

Sophia Boyer

Sophia was successfully transplanted on Christmas Eve 2006 and was doing well until she experienced significant health issues in 2009. Additionally, her younger sister, Tatum, was diagnosed with the same disease and will now also require a transplant. Her fundraising concluded in 2008, and they raised a little over $34,000, including the PEACE Fund grant and COTA’s challenge grant. Following this recent scare, the family’s volunteers have begun fundraising on a small scale “on their own” and have decided they no longer wish to work with COTA. They have all but exhausted their fund balance with only a small amount remaining for transplant-related expenses.

Ellise Jones

Ellise is now in sixth grade and combined with a challenge grant, her volunteers raised nearly $34,000. I spoke with Ellise’s mom in January when she gave a stirring presentation to a group of more than 500 American Legion members in Columbus, Ohio.

Nickolas Sheeder

Nickolas’s family moved from Texas to Colorado due to his dad’s work situation. After being transplanted in 2006, they concluded fundraising with just under $11,000, and are very pleased with their success – thanks in large part to the PEACE Fund. Incidentally, their lead volunteer told me they were set to do a number of new fundraisers, but mom and dad felt they were ‘covered’ and asked everyone to stop.

The Sheeder family often speaks with other families at the hospital about how COTA helped them, so they seem to be doing very well and love the services we provide.

Ray Eldridge

Infant Josh Eldridge was successfully transplanted on October 5, 2008 and was recovering following his surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. Unfortunately, in August of 2009, he went into acute organ rejection, and was diagnosed with lymphoma. This November we received the incredibly sad news that Ray had passed. In the midst of their weariness, his parents expressed how grateful they were to the help from COTA and by extension, your organization, during their time of need.

Skii Summerall

Fourteen-year-old Skii (pronounced “sky”) Summerall received the life-saving gift of a liver transplant at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida this past September.

According to Skii’s mom, her daughter’s health continues to progress, however she tires very easily and is still awaiting the medical clearance to go back to school.

The family continues to have transplant-related expenses, with approximately only $9,500 raised of an initial $50,000 goal.

Elijah Vang

Nothing new since last April when Elijah’s mom said he was to return to school this past fall and was a “normal kid” -- just what we hope happens with all our children.

We continue to assist the family with medical bills for Elijah.

His campaign volunteers raised more than $16,000 for his care, and the family has just a little more than $2,000 remaining for his care.

Kaylee and Wendy Kirkpatrick

Born on November 4, 2005 and June 7, 2007, sisters Wendy and Kaylee Kirkpatrick of Perryville, Missouri, were diagnosed with Hurler's Syndrome in December 2007. Hurler's syndrome (also called MPS-1H) occurs in about 1 in 100,000 infants.

Both girls were successfully transplanted in April 2008 and returned to their home in Missouri that fall. Their campaign volunteers have worked to raise just over $28,000 for both girls’ transplant expenses. In an update to us, the girls’ mom, Dessina, said that though Wendy still struggles with effects from Hurlers, both girls are on the road to being “normal kids once again.”

Victoria Roberts

I met with Chuck Roberts in Seattle in late January and noted that Victoria has had a difficult year, and has been in and out of the hospital for several months.

The families’ volunteers raised nearly $360,000 and have been accessing funds to meet living and medical expenses while in Seattle.

Rumor has it that she might be coming home soon – a big relief to the family.

Valery Huttner

Valery, a three-year-old child from West Columbia, South Carolina, was successfully transplanted at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

Valery continues to make great progress with occasional hospital trips. Combined with your grant, their volunteers have raised more than $11,000. as it that she might be coming home soon – a big relief to the family.