With the cost of a life-saving transplant often exceeding $800,000, most transplant families are unable to shoulder that financial burden.

In Peoria, volunteers are raising funds for the Children’s Organ Transplant Association in honor of transplant patients like teenager Carly Campbell. 

Ms. Campbell is the daughter of Tamara and Paul Campbell. Born in 2005, Carly Campbell was diagnosed with chronic kidney necrosis. The transplant team at Phoenix Children’s Hospital in Phoenix has recommended a life-saving kidney transplant.

In turn, Peoria volunteers are raising $70,000 for COTA to assist with transplant-related expenses.

COTA is a national 501(c)3 charity dedicated to organizing and guiding communities in raising funds for transplant-related expenses.

Volunteers are needed for this COTA community campaign. Individuals and groups interested in more information should contact Community Coordinator Brenda McGriff at 515-205-2932 or tbahmcgriff4@gmail.com.

COTA helps transplant families avoid financial devastation. Transplant procedure costs range from $100,000 to more than $800,000, a release states.

Once the transplant is complete, families 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.

Carly Campbell was born via cesarean section due to a placental abruption, according to her donation page. This caused her to hemorrhage and lose blood flow to her kidneys for several hours prior to her being born. At the time of delivery, she had lost most of her blood volume and received a blood transfusion shortly after delivery.

Her kidneys suffered and at 3 days old was flown to Phoenix Children’s Hospital with the possibility of needing dialysis. She and her family spent three weeks in the intensive care unit as Ms. Campbell’s kidneys slowly rebounded. 

She did not end up needing dialysis and has been able to avoid it for almost 15 years, her page states. She has been on medications since day one and as she has grown has needed to add more.

Her family was told she would eventually need a kidney transplant. They hoped it would be further down the line, but at 15, her kidneys are only functioning at 13%.

Ms. Campbell’s family has asked for assistance from COTA. 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 Carly” written on the memo line. Secure credit card gifts are accepted online at www.COTAforCarly.com.

Editor’s Note: Information from the Children’s Organ Transplant Association.