COTA for Team Mia

Our Story

Mia Belle Moore was born on January 24, 2026. Mia is the youngest of three. She has an older sister, Charlie (5 y/o), and an older brother, Butch (2 y/o). Everyone was excited to bring Mia home. Mia had a normal first two months of life. Everything seemed to be going great, but on April 15, 2026, that all changed.

Wednesday, April 15^th, was the longest and scariest day of our lives. Mia seemed to be having a difficult time with her breathing, so we took her into the ER to be examined. We were quickly transferred to Dell Children’s Hospital, where she was admitted to the Cardiac Care Unit. After a multitude of tests, it was determined that Mia was in heart failure and was found to have a genetic diagnosis of Filamin C (FLNC)- related Cardiomyopathy. Mia’s DNA change means she is not making enough Filamin C, which is critical for muscle structure stability. Two weeks after being admitted, Mia was intubated. The doctors made the decision that Mia would need a Berlin pump (external heart pump). On Wednesday, May 6^th, Mia went in for surgery to place the Berlin Heart. On Wednesday, May 13^th, Mia was officially listed on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) heart transplant waiting list. Mia is adjusting well to her Berlin heart and will remain in the hospital until she receives her new heart. We are so thankful for the staff at Dell Children’s who work around the clock to make sure Mia is taken care of.

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.