COTA for Maggie

Our Story

Maggie is our miracle baby. I became pregnant with her just two months after my final cancer surgery. She was born after 18 hours of labor via C-section and eight years after her older sister, Colleen. From the very beginning, she has been our reminder that hope is stronger than fear.

After we brought her home, Maggie’s jaundice didn’t go away. What we thought would be something simple became a diagnosis that we had never heard of and would change our lives forever. Maggie has Biliary Atresia – a rare, life-threatening liver disease that affects infants. It damages the bile ducts and liver, and without treatment, it is fatal.

On September 19, 2025, Maggie underwent Kasai surgery. This procedure attempts to restore bile flow and slow the liver damage. We prayed it would be enough and were heartbroken to learn that her Kasai was not draining properly three months after the surgery. Maggie’s liver disease has progressed. She is now listed for a liver transplant. Her second chance at life depends on a deceased donor liver. 

Maggie has an incredible medical team at Vanderbilt. They have helped us navigate complications and hospitalizations. Maggie has several medications, NG tube feeding, appointments, labs, scans, and constant monitoring. 

We are partnering with the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) to help with transplant-related expenses. While insurance covers much of the medical care, there are significant additional costs related to transplant and long-term care. Funds raised in honor of Maggie are used solely for these transplant-related needs.

We share her story to raise awareness for Biliary Atresia and organ donation. Most of all, we share it because Maggie is strong, joyful, and so deeply loved.

Thank you for following her journey and for being a part of our village.

Michael, Kelly, Colleen, and Maggie

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.