Our daughter, Sabrina, started her life as a healthy, happy little girl. For months, everything looked exactly the way it was supposed to. And then, little by little, things changed. She began eating less, having less energy, and sleeping more than usual. We kept searching for answers, never imagining where this would lead. When she was five months old, our world was pulled out from under us. Sabrina was diagnosed with severe dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure — something no parent prepares for.

I’ll never forget the moment everything shifted. Stepping out of the ambulance and into a room so bright it was almost blinding, nothing felt real. Just the day before, we were treating what we thought was acid reflux. Suddenly we were surrounded by doctors telling us that our perfect girl may need a heart transplant. That was the moment the freefall started. And ever since then, we’ve been trying to find steady ground.

Since that day, our family has had to shift, adapt, and learn how to live between a hospital room and home, making sure our toddler still has stability. We’ve gone from tracking ounces and nap schedules to watching monitors, talking with specialists, managing medications, and facing fear bigger than anything we’ve ever known. But through all of it, Sabrina has shown us what real strength looks like. She smiles at her doctors, charms every nurse, and somehow finds joy even when she doesn’t feel well.

As strong as she is, Sabrina will need a heart transplant, and with that comes a lifelong medical journey. Transplant isn’t a cure — it’s a second chance that requires daily medications, frequent check-ups, and ongoing care for the rest of her life. And while we hope it’s far, far in the future, most transplant patients will eventually need a second transplant. It’s a lot to carry, and it’s not a road we can walk alone.

But we are hopeful – we have to be. Sabrina is here, fighting every day, and we believe in her with everything we have. We believe in the team caring for her. And we believe that with the support of people who love her — from near, far, and everywhere in between — she has a future full of possibilities.

Thank you for being part of Sabrina’s story, and for helping us give her the chance to grow up. Your support to COTA for Sabrina’s Change of Heart means more than we can ever express.

#SabrinaStrong

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.