Our Story

Our sweet baby boy Charlee was diagnosed at 20 weeks with what doctors thought to be hypoplastic left heart syndrome. He was born at 38 weeks 6 days 7lb 13oz. We are currently at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital possibly waiting for heart transplant. At three weeks old Charlee was one day away from receiving surgery for a ventricular assist device but surprised his doctors when his PDA closed and his heart function actually got better as they were thinking he was ductal dependent. Our sweet baby is diagnosed with a displaced tricuspid valve with mild to severe regurgitation, an enlarged right ventricle, and a hypoplastic left ventricle and mitral valve. He has been in the hospital since birth and is one month old and hopes to one day be released home to be with his family. Charlee has two loving parents with a four year old sister and a two year old brother. Funds raised for COTA for Charlees Heart will assist with transplant-related expenses, helping with Charlee’s journey to healthy life and heart. God bless everyone. 

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.