With the cost of a life-saving transplant often exceeding $800,000, most transplant patients are unable to shoulder that financial burden. The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) is a national 501(c)3 charity dedicated to organizing and guiding communities in raising funds for transplant-related expenses.
COTA works with individuals of any age with a single-gene disorder such as Polycystic Kidney Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, or Sickle Cell Disease. In McKinney, volunteers are raising funds for COTA in honor of transplant patients like a local toddler, Clark Wilcox.
Clark is the son of Chrystal and Chris Wilcox. Born in 2018, Clark was diagnosed with Alagille Syndrome. The transplant team at Dallas Children’s Hospital in McKinney, Texas, has recommended a life-saving liver transplant. McKinney volunteers are raising $50,000 for COTA to assist with transplant-related expenses.
Volunteers are needed for this COTA community campaign. Individuals and groups interested in more information should contact Community Coordinator Misti Walton at mwalton@theharborofhope.org.
COTA helps transplant patients avoid financial devastation. Transplant procedure costs range from $100,000 to more than $800,000. Once the transplant is complete, individuals face significant transplant-related expenses, including medication; transportation to and from the transplant center; lodging; and expenses while parents are out of work and often living with the hospitalized child far from home. These out-of-pocket expenses add up to tens of thousands of dollars annually for transplant families with lifetime totals often exceeding $1,000,000. In cases where a shortfall exists, COTA helps bridge the financial gap.
Clark’s family has asked for assistance from the Children’s Organ Transplant Association. One hundred percent of all funds raised for COTA in honor of patients assist with a lifetime of transplant-related expenses.
Contributions may be sent to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, 2501 West COTA Drive, Bloomington, Indiana, 47403. Checks should be made payable to COTA, with “In Honor of Clark” written on the memo line. Secure credit card gifts are accepted online at www.COTAforClark.com.
