Hello,

My name is Colton Teicher, I am a 22-year-old college student, born and raised in the metro Detroit, MI, area. I am a Junior at Wayne State University in Detroit, studying Global Supply Chain Management. I started my college career at Western Michigan University, but because of my health issues took some time off then transferred to Wayne State, where I will graduate soon.

Supply Chain Management has really been highlighted over this past year because of the challenge of distributing PPE and COVID-19 vaccines. An objective in my professional career after my bone marrow transplant is to improve a company’s supply chain to make it more environmentally sustainable.

Outside of my pending career, I love outdoor activities such as hiking, camping and canoeing. I am an avid hunter and I enjoy about everything else that can be done outdoors. Old muscle cars are another passion of mine. Over the years my dad and I have done some restoration work to several classic cars.

I also love to travel and hope to visit Europe after my successful bone marrow transplant.

The reason for my Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) is I have an extremely rare genetic disease called Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD). As it turns out, my brother, Caden, also has the same diagnosis. CGD has a profound affect on my immune system and can make ordinary outdoor activities dangerous for me. CGD patients have a weakened ability to fight bacteria and fungi. I have learned to live with the restrictions and limit my exposure, so I am looking forward to having an unfettered life once I have completed my BMT. When all goes well, the bone marrow transplant will cure me of this disease.

Just a little history about my journey to this point: Since the day I was born, I have had serious medical issues. I spent the first week of my life in an oxygen tent, not being able to be held by my parents. They even held off naming me until they could hold me. I was not properly diagnosed until I was 20 years old. It took years of hospital and doctor’s visits, dozens of surgeries, hundreds of needle sticks, too many medications to count, tons of misdiagnosis and lots of time and energy to properly determine what was affecting me. Not to mention the emotional toll of altering my life’s goals and daily activities to accommodate all the necessary medical treatments etc. 

Recently, I began to have more serious issues, such as blood clots (in my brain and various other DVTs) and multiple life-threatening infections which sent me to the ED and hospital for weeks on end. Then, after 20 years, I had finally received the proper diagnosis: Chronic Granulomatous Disease. As I mentioned, a bone marrow transplant is necessary to replace my broken immune system with a new functioning one. After travelling to many high-ranking hospitals throughout the country, I have decided to have my bone marrow transplant at the National Institutes of Health (Also known as the NIH, yes this is where Dr. Fauci works). The NIH doctors are the leaders in treatments for the CGD community. They have the most experience and the best outcomes.

I am asking for donations to COTA in my honor to assist with transplant-related expenses.  I will have lots of travel as will my support team. I will be required to stay in Bethesda, Maryland, for approx. 4-6 months to ensure a safe recovery after transplant. In addition to this, I will also have 5 years of follow up appointments with them. I would like to thank my friends and family for all their hard work and support.

Thank you so much for your donations to COTA in my honor and for sharing this link with friends and family!!!

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) helps children who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. COTA also works with individuals of any age with a single-gene disorder such as Polycystic Kidney Disease, Cystic Fibrosis or Sickle Cell Disease. COTA is the nation’s only fundraising organization solely dedicated to raising life-saving dollars in honor of transplant-needy families. 100% of each contribution made to COTA in honor of our patients helps meet transplant-related expenses. COTA’s services are free of charge and gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.