{"id":339,"date":"2026-04-24T12:52:54","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T12:52:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforevelynsheart\/?p=339"},"modified":"2026-05-02T16:09:57","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T16:09:57","slug":"evelyns-ball-and-chain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforevelynsheart\/2026\/04\/24\/evelyns-ball-and-chain\/","title":{"rendered":"Evelyn’s “Ball and Chain”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Evelyn and I were outside, enjoying the weather, blowing bubbles, just trying to soak up a normal moment. And then Evelyn started to get quiet and tear up. She said she wanted to go further out into the grass to pop them\u2026 but she couldn\u2019t because of her IV pole.
If you know Evelyn, you know she is one of the most mobile, energetic kids in the hospital. She\u2019s riding her bike, walking laps around the hospital, dancing, making the most out of every bit of space she has. And still that pole follows her everywhere. Limiting her in ways that don\u2019t always show until moments like that.
We were given the opportunity for something different.. a backpack with a mobile pump. Something that could give her a little more freedom, a little more independence\u2026 a chance to move the way she wants to move.
We\u2019re going to follow her lead and only do what she\u2019s comfortable with. But if she decides she\u2019s ready, this could mean no more \u201cball and chain\u201d IV pole holding her back.
And maybe next time we\u2019re blowing bubbles\u2026 she can run as far into the grass as she wants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How You Can Help<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Whether you choose to wear a “Hearts for Evelyn” shirt or make a direct contribution to COTA for Evelyn\u2019s Heart, you are joining a community that will help Evelyn for her lifetime.
What makes our partnership with COTA so great is that they will be with Evelyn throughout her life. Every dollar donated to COTA in honor of Evelyn goes to transplant-related expenses.
Sharing Evelyn’s story is just as important- please share her COTA page and join our Facebook group. Thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click Here to Donate Now<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get your “Hearts for Evelyn” T-Shirt<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Join our “Hearts for Evelyn” Facebook Group<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Evelyn and I were outside, enjoying the weather, blowing bubbles, just trying to soak up a normal moment. And then Evelyn started to get quiet and tear up. She said she wanted to go further out into the grass to pop them\u2026 but she couldn\u2019t because of her IV pole.If you know Evelyn, you know […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2374,"featured_media":341,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nEvelyn's "Ball and Chain" - COTA for Evelyn's Heart<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforevelynsheart\/2026\/04\/24\/evelyns-ball-and-chain\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Evelyn's "Ball and Chain"\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Evelyn and I were outside, enjoying the weather, blowing bubbles, just trying to soak up a normal moment. 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