Kendall was born with a very severe, life-threatening heart condition called Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS). What that basically means is her right ventricle in her heart didn’t develop. This is the chamber that pumps blood to the lungs. Since it didn’t develop, it caused her left lung not to grow because there was not enough blood flow going to it. She has had a total of 4 open heart surgeries, a cardiac arrest, a stroke and several years of feeding tubes, PT/OT therapy and rehabilitation.

Recently she has started to become tired and short of breath with activity. After several tests by her cardiologists, it was determined that she needs a heart transplant and possibly a lung transplant also. She is presently being evaluated by specialists in Pittsburgh to determine the type of transplant that she needs. Due to the severity of her heart and lung conditions, it was projected before birth that she would not survive for many days and certainly not months or years to come. She recently turned 13 years old in April and we are so very blessed and thankful that she has defied the odds that were against her.

Kendall needs to have an MRI done in Pittsburgh soon. After those results come back, she will be re-evaluated by the heart and lung doctors and then she will be placed on the appropriate transplant list. Kendall is a strong heart warrior and we have witnessed so many miracles happen to her on this journey. We love and thank all of you who have supported us throughout the years. It hasn’t been an easy road at times, but we always knew you had our backs when we needed you the most.

We were introduced to this organization called COTA (Children’s Organ Transplant Association). Transplants are life-changing in many ways because they save your loved one’s life and gives them the gift of having a new life. With that comes financial needs for the family. COTA assists families with transplant-related expenses, such as medical bills that are not covered by insurance, food, lodging, living expenses, and travel expenses from Michigan to Pittsburgh over the course of months/years (follow ups). etc……

This website gives you all the information you need to know about what COTA is all about. Please consider donating to COTA for Kendall. Stay tuned for updates, blogs, fundraising, and donation opportunities.

Love you all
Family of TeamKendallT

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.