COTA for Arden

Our Story

Arden was born in 2007 with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, meaning only half of her heart fully developed. She has undergone nine surgeries, four of which were open heart surgeries. For the last eleven years, Arden has been able to live a normal life with the exception of extra doctor appointments.

In July 2021, Arden had a heart catheterization. At this time, the doctors also did a liver biopsy. Because her heart does not function normally, her liver does not receive an adequate blood supply and therefore must be monitored. The biopsy showed that her liver has significantly hardened due to years of restricted blood flow. Arden’s only option is a heart transplant. If her heart begins functioning correctly, the liver will heal itself. Otherwise, the liver will continue to worsen and she will eventually need both a liver and a heart transplant.

Medical care for a patient with a heart transplant is a lifelong commitment including anti-rejection medications for the rest of her life. Thus, our social worker at the Children’s Hospital introduced us to The Children’s Organ Transplant Association, COTA.

COTA is the owner and administrator of funds raised. COTA funds are highly regulated and can only be used for transplant-related expenses. Unlike other fundraising sites, your donation to COTA is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

We have been blessed with friends and family who want to know how they can help us. This isn’t always an easy question to answer. If we could ask for only one thing, we would ask for your prayers, but if you would like to make a donation to COTA in honor of Arden, 100% of the money will go to a lifetime of transplant-related expenses.

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.