We knew from the start that Eliseo wasn’t going to have what most would call a normal beginning. Little did we know the journey he would take us on. Entering into the world prematurely at just shy of 32 weeks, resulting in him being flown from Toledo hospital down to Cincinnati Children’s and spending his first six months there, and having his first of many surgeries at just four days old. Since then, he’s had around 8 surgeries with a total of 17 procedures. After a steady uphill battle. he was finally transferred to Mott’s Children’s in Ann Arbor, making it much easier to be close to him. Two weeks later he was home; finally, with his two older brothers and older sister, things felt complete. Things were going great, he was on peritoneal dialysis and making progress. That was until September of 2023 when a mass was found on his liver, which turned out to be cancerous. Hepatoblastoma is what they told us he had and we were devastated. Never news any parent wants to hear. Thankfully after three months of chemotherapy and a surgery resulting in the removal of the tumor along with more than half of his liver, he was in remission. Since then, he has switched from peritoneal to hemodialysis due to significant scar tissue build up. Fast forward a year and we are finally approved for kidney transplant. Excited yet nervous, we look forward to the next chapter in his journey and whatever it may bring.

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.