The fundraising goal has recently been updated per a conversation between Roya’s family and Rick Lofgren, COTA President & CEO. This letter below from Rick explains the recent change:

Greetings from COTA!

I want to congratulate the COTA for Roya’s Hope volunteer team for beginning to raise funds for the campaign in honor of Roya!

When I set the campaign fundraising goals with each of our families, I suggest a goal to COTA patients that I believe is needed for any patient’s long-term expenses and transplant-related costs, and the goal generally reflects the next four to five years of out-of-pocket costs. For example, most of our patients will have $5,000 to $10,000 in annual co-payments, deductibles, and medications, as well as additional costs for an extended in-patient stay, clinic visits and a similar amount for travel to the transplant center. 

In this case I spoke with Derek this week and suggested that we raise the goal in this case due to the follow-up care in Rochester for Roya. Because of this, I have changed the goal for the COTA for Roya’s Hope campaign from $150,000 to $200,000 to reflect what I believe will be actual costs going forward based on her heart transplant. 

Please know there are many factors in this and that I bear the responsibility of justifying this to anyone who asks and am happy to do this as I believe that it is the right thing to do given Roya’s health and current post-transplant status. Thank you for all the work and support you have provided to this point, and please keep Roya and the entire Snyder family in your prayers as she recovers from her life-saving heart transplant.