Bloomington, Indiana -- July 1, 2010 – On July 7th, the town of Round Rock, Texas, is going to be rockin’ when resident Major Key celebrates his second transplant anniversary … and his second chance at life. Just a couple years ago his parents, Karroll and Stephanie, could not have imagined this milestone would ever be a reality.

At 32 weeks of gestation, doctors discovered that Stephanie had no amniotic fluid surrounding her unborn baby and she was sent to the hospital for an emergency cesarean section. Tiny Major was born with posterior urethral valve, an obstruction that badly damaged both his kidneys in utero. Major had no kidney function. This premature infant needed dialysis to survive his first months of life, but it was dangerous and difficult -- an uphill battle for the baby. Several times along the way, Karroll and Stephanie prepared for Major’s death.

Then Stephanie heard about the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford in Palo Alto, California, and the transplant team there gave this family hope. However, the center was 1,800 miles from home and the family would have to live there for a minimum of three months. In addition, their medical insurance did not cover any living expenses or their household expenses while they were out of work.

It was during these days of desperation that the transplant team at Lucile Packard told the Key family about the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA).

“COTA provided hope for our family by showing us that money should not be an obstacle when faced with a transplant. COTA provided hope for our family in the form of encouragement and support to our team of volunteers who worked tirelessly to raise funds for transplant-related expenses,” said Karroll Key.

After a flurry of fundraising activity from COTA volunteers, the family temporarily re-located to California and their hope quickly turned into a miracle when Major received a kidney from his father.

“At birth, we were given little hope Major would ever leave the hospital. Then a transplant center 1,800 miles away from home gave us hope … and COTA helped turn that hope into a miracle. COTA gave us a sense of peace about the financial aspects involved with Major receiving his father’s kidney,” said Stephanie Key.

Today the Keys are back at home in Round Rock, and Major is doing well -- running, jumping and shooting a basketball on a daily basis. He no longer needs physical therapy and he is making huge developmental strides. Major is getting ready to head off to preschool with his neighborhood friends.

According to Stephanie, “As we celebrate Major’s transplant anniversary, the true gift we will remember is COTA … an organization of caring professionals who give children a chance to live life to the fullest.”
 

Bloomington, Indiana -- June 7, 2010 -- The month of June is full of excitement … summer break, vacations and a special day to celebrate Dads. Father’s Day has become a very special holiday for two central Illinois parents. They experienced a miracle when Treyton Miller received a portion of his dad’s liver … and a second chance at life.

Within days of Treyton’s birth on August 31, 2006, his parents, Shannon and Tom, knew something was very wrong. Just seven-days-old, Treyton was sent to a pediatric specialty hospital where he was admitted because of a dangerously high bilirubin level. He underwent two complete exchange blood transfusions to lower the level, but they were unsuccessful. During this hospitalization, doctors discovered Treyton lacked bile ducts and a gall bladder, and the tiny baby was diagnosed with biliary atresia -- a fatal disease that can only be treated with a liver transplant.

In November 2006, Shannon and Tom traveled north to Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and by January 2007 his name was added to the national organ waiting list. At the same time, tests also revealed that Daddy Tom could be Treyton’s living donor. But how could they afford the surgery, especially when they were so far away from home?

It was during these days they family reached out to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA).
“COTA was simply amazing. We were so worried because we would likely be giving up two incomes to care for our son, and we wondered how we would pay our bills and care for Treyton’s older sister. With COTA standing beside us, people who we didn’t even know stepped up to help meet our need,” said Shannon.

“With COTA we knew that financially we were going to be OK. That gave us incredible hope. Without COTA, we would have drowned in bills. Through our friends and family, COTA helped us help ourselves,” said Tom.

Treyton and Tom’s journey to transplant was not easy. In early February 2007, Treyton got very sick and stopped eating and growing. The living donor transplant was initially scheduled for March 14th but Treyton was too ill and they were sent home. The transplant was then scheduled for April 11th but Tom had the flu. Then it was rescheduled for May 2nd but Treyton was ill. Finally, after three false starts, Tom gave a portion of his liver to Treyton on May 18, 2007.

Transplant day was actually a miracle in itself as Tom’s transplant team performed his procedure at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago while Treyton’s transplant took place on the other side of the city at Children’s Memorial Hospital.

“Treyton’s transplant, with his dad being his living donor, was a true miracle. With COTA’s help, our whole church, and most of our city, was thinking about, and praying for, this transplant. COTA connected the community to our little boy, and that connection helped make a miracle,” said Shannon.

Treyton was discharged from the hospital just 12 days later, while Tom left his hospital four days after the surgery. Since that time both Miller men have done well. Treyton has had no complications with his new liver. According to his dad, today Treyton is 100% normal … a toddler who speaks fluently and plays very hard.

Truly the best Father’s Day gift.