**UPDATE! Jaden received his heart-transplant on Sept 23, 2024. However, his transplant journey is not over.**

Jaden Davon Hartley. He’s a charming, mild-mannered, and strong-willed 15 year-old boy. Jaden has always excelled in school, earning countless honor-roll and leadership awards. Last year, he even graduated in the top 10% of his class! Jaden is very passionate about basketball, fashion, and traveling. He had countless plans for the summer including working a job, hanging out with his friends, and being the typical teenage boy. Unfortunately, those plans were derailed.

During a family trip to Hawaii, Jaden was taken to the E.R. because of stomach pain, vomiting, and difficulty breathing while lying down. The doctors decided to do a routine chest X-ray which revealed Jaden had an enlarged heart that was very weak. We knew it was serious when they called the cardiologist in from home. A few days later, Jaden was medically transported to Ann and Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

Jaden was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. This was extremely devasting news to the family as we had to prepare Jaden for open heart surgery. The surgery was performed on June 14^th which was the longest 6 hours ever! After being sedated for over 3 days, we were finally able to see Jaden open his eyes and respond to our voices. Jaden now has a LVAD to support his failing heart. This tool is temporary and is a bridge to heart transplant. When Jaden receives the gift of a donor heart, we empathize greatly with the family who would lose a loved one.

Summer 2024 has been full of adjustments for Jaden. Unlike other teens his age, he cannot go swimming, ride roller coasters, or play his favorite sport, basketball. He is tasked with taking approx. 20 pills per day, changing his diet, and visiting the hospital/clinic multiple times a week. Regardless of these numerous life changing alterations, Jaden is a warrior. His strength and determination to get through this is extremely admirable.

We have partnered with the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) for assistance with transplant-related expenses. Please consider donating to COTA in honor of Jaden.

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.