COTA for Mia H

Our Story

A little background
Some of you may remember, back in August of 2004, at 5 1/2 months of age, Mia Herndon was diagnosed with Primary Hyperoxaluria, a rare liver disorder, along with complete kidney failure. She spent almost a year at UCSF Children’s Hospital in San Francisco to stabilize her vital functions until she could undergo a life-saving kidney and liver transplant. Her parents and older siblings relocated to San Francisco and were at her side during this very difficult time. Then finally, on Friday, July 29, 2005, Mia received her transplants during a 12-hour surgery. She was 16 months old at the time. After many more months at UCSF, Mia eventually became strong and stable enough to return home to Paradise with her family.

Mia, now 14-years-old, has been under the careful attention of the USCF doctors to keep her kidney functioning and her life as fun and fulfilling as possible. There have been plenty of ups and downs, but Mia has stayed true to her warrior-like approach to living with a kidney that has not been fully functioning. She inspires the rest of us with her tenacious ability to bounce back from physical setbacks. 

Transplant, Take 2
In June 2018, Mia’s doctors determined that her kidney function was deteriorating to the point that they would fast-track a second kidney transplant because her kidney function was at 14%. Surgery is schedule for July 25th. Mia’s kidney donor will be her 19-year-old sister, Nyah. These are two truly remarkable young ladies; they are courageous and ready to take on this life-changing and life-saving challenge. The family is strong but they need your support.

How you can help? 
Transplant-related expenses can be overwhelming, especially when there are two family members involved! To lessen the family’s financial burden, we have partnered with the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA), a national charity, again to re-start the From You to Mia fundraising campaign. COTA’s services are completely free of charge and 100% of funds raised in honor of Mia will assist with transplant-related expenses. 

Please make a donation today to COTA in honor of Mia through this page and share this site with others. Every little bit helps and together we can make a big difference in the lives of transplant families. Thank you for your kind support!

Sincerely,
The From You to Mia campaign team

PS 
Stay tuned to the blog on this page to read more about Mia, Nyah and the rest of the family, plus fundraising updates and opportunities to help out.