Message from COTA President Rick Lofgren

Dear Friend,

During the past several weeks, many of us have been attending graduation ceremonies and celebrations … high school, college and post graduate. The son of one of our COTA staff members graduated from high school just a few days ago, and I know how joyous (and bittersweet) this time can be for a family. Through my own son’s high school journey, I know firsthand how challenging these days are juggling academic performance, athletics, extracurricular activities, social events, jobs, college visits, and much more. And my son was healthy. Imagine trying to ‘do it all’ and excel while hearing a devastating diagnosis, waiting for an organ to be donated and surviving a transplant during your school years. We have COTA kids who have done, and who are doing, just that. I salute each of them; and I congratulate all COTA grads and their parents. Job well done!

Giving Hope … Making Miracles. June is the perfect month to tell you that your ongoing support of our patients, and our work, is literally life-saving for our families. Many of COTA patients are now able to return to school to live normal and productive lives, as have the nearly 1,400 patients COTA has helped over the past two decades.

Let me introduce you to a COTA patient, Christopher Padua, and his mom, Jenille Rimando, who were desperately waiting for a miracle. Recently, Jenille shared with us:

“Miracles happened throughout Christopher’s transplant journey -- from his first diagnosis to the donations from strangers that helped our family to receiving a donor liver right before I was going to donate a portion of my own … the entire journey was a miracle.”

Jenille Rimando, Mother of Christopher

I as look to the future these words are even more touching knowing Christopher and Jenille have many years of school days -- and eventually graduation -- to celebrate together. COTA is committed to making this journey with each of our families -- families who desperately need hope … and who sometimes receive a miracle.

Thanks for choosing to make the journey with us, with our graduates, and with kids,
like Christopher.

Rick Lofgren, President
Children's Organ Transplant Association (COTA)

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