COTA for Annzie the Brave

Our Story

COTA Story Annzie the Brave…..

  Annika “Annzie the Brave” is a sassy 6-year-old warrior.  Annika’s journey began in June of 2015.  At 12 weeks of age, she contracted adenovirus. The adenovirus infection for Annika was devastating.  It caused her to go into respiratory failure requiring ECMO and multi-system organ failure.  The initial illness required that she be hospitalized for nearly 2 months and left her with a long list of ongoing challenges including cerebral palsy, interstitial lung disease, kidney damage, stomach and intestinal damage, and more.

  The greatest complication of Annika’s adenovirus infection is an interstitial lung disease (ILD) called Bronchiolitis Obliterans (BO).  At this point her Bronchiolitis Obliterans has led her to end stage chronic respiratory failure rendering a double lung transplant as our last treatment option. 

  Our journey to lung transplant actually began in the fall of 2018.  She was initially evaluated for lung transplant in January 2019 at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.  At that time, she was listed “status 7-inactive” on the transplant list.  After a series of illnesses and ongoing complications Annika was listed “active” for transplant on June 22, 2021.  Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio will be our transplant center.  It is approximately 200 miles from our home.

Annika recieved her gift of a doble lung transplant on September 17, 2021! 

  As a family we have teamed up with COTA to raise funds in honor of Annzie the Brave to assist with a lifetime of transplant-related expenses.  We would like to thank everyone in advance for all their support for our warrior.  We will continue to fight alongside of her as she continues to fight with her resilient spirit. 

  The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) helps children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. COTA is the nation’s only fundraising organization solely dedicated to raising life-saving dollars in honor of transplant-needy children and young adults. 100% of each contribution made to COTA in honor of our patients helps meet transplant-related expenses. COTA’s services are free to our families, and gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.