COTA for Luke M

Our Story

Luke is an 18-year-old who has already had the miracle of organ donation once. August 14, 2010, Luke received the gift of life through a double lung transplant at 9 years old. That transplant doubled his life as he continues to beat the odds and celebrates 9 years with his new lungs (he now has had his new lungs longer than his original lungs). Luke has Childhood Interstitial Lung Disease of an unknown type. 

Unfortunately, just like his lungs, his intestines started failing a year after his lung transplant. No one fully understands why but over the past 8 years he has gone from not being able to eat and needing IV nutrition sometimes to all the time. Luke will not be able to eat again or get off of IV nutrition without a small bowel transplant. IV nutrition long term carries a lot of risks with it, including life threatening issues. 

Once again we are embarking on a major organ transplant needed for Luke. We know how important community is and are so thankful for everyone who has walked this journey with Luke since the NICU days through those we have recently met. 

Luke will be the second person ever in the US to have a bowel transplant after lung transplant. We are incredibly thankful for Children’s Hospital Pittsburgh and their transplant teams. 

COTA was critical in helping us through Luke’s lung transplant and after, assisting with transplant-related expenses. We thank you for making a donation to COTA in honor of Luke as we go through a second transplant journey. 

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.