Sami Wilson, 19, was diagnosed with end stage kidney failure in March 2020. She went into the ER for stomach pains, which were unrelated to kidney symptoms, and found out that both her kidneys were only functioning at 15 percent. She soon underwent surgery for a dialysis catheter to begin dialysis 3 days a week due to her complications. Since then, she has been hospitalized for over 3 weeks due to fluid in her heart and lungs. Till this day, there is no reason why her kidneys started to fail. She is on the transplant list for deceased donors, which could possibly take 3-5 years. However, the living donor organization is working diligently to find a living donor match for Sami. Otherwise a healthy, athletic teenager before this, now Sami takes over 7 medicines daily plus other medicines through her dialysis. She has lost over 20 pounds since the diagnosis and struggles daily with her symptoms. Sami and her mom are now residing in the Ronald McDonald House close to UPMC where she is being closely watched by her doctors and receiving her dialysis.

Funds are raised for COTA in honor of Sami and COTA’s partnership with our family will last for her lifetime. COTA will assist Sami with transplant-related expenses like future medical costs as she transitions to adulthood with high insurance premiums and a lifetime of medications.

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.

Thank you all for your prayers, love and support for Sami and our family. We are all so very grateful!

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.