Mackenzie (Kenzie) Kokoski was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at birth. Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a progressive, genetic disease that affects the entire body; primarily the lungs and digestive system. A defective gene disables the sodium chloride channel from working properly which causes a thick sticky mucus in the organs. This results in inflammation and chronic infections which eventually cause extensive scarring in the lungs and a double lung transplant is needed to stay alive.
While having CF is not easy, Kenzie has handled having a lower lung function for most of her life with grace and joy. As a kid she loved to entertain people whether it was singing and putting on performances, recording webcam videos and acting out scenes, or simply making everyone around her laugh. She continued her love for performance as she got older. Kenzie sang in school talent shows every year and became a cheerleader in high school. She has never let her lungs hold her back from doing the things she loves and she’s done it all with a smile.
After high school Kenzie attended Kent State University. During her first year of college, she was presented with many new challenges and her lung function started to take a dive. Immediately following a vacation later that summer, Kenzie had a traumatic bout of hemoptysis (lung bleed) that landed her in the hospital for a little over a month. After that hospital stay and a decline in lung function she was put on oxygen at night and attended pulmonary rehab twice a week. Kenzie’s need for oxygen became a 24/7 requirement and she was referred for a transplant at the Cleveland Clinic. After an extensive amount of testing Kenzie has been listed and is awaiting a life saving surgery (double lung transplant).
As you can imagine the transplant procedure, recurring doctor visits, and lifelong medication will result in high ongoing medical costs. The recovery for a double lung transplant can take anywhere up to a year. We sincerely appreciate your kind donations to COTA in honor of Kenzie which assist with these costs.
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.