Kaitlyn Shannon was born to parents Jonathan & Kelly Cross on January 30, 2006. She was six weeks premature, with a congenital kidney defect discovered shortly after birth. Her condition was carefully monitored from that point forward for any signs of renal deterioration, which, unfortunately, came quite suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of nine months. Critically ill, Kaitlyn spent a month at Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown, NJ, most of that time in the pediatric intensive care unit. The subsequent diagnosis was End Stage Renal Disease. With daily peritoneal dialysis treatment and much love, Kaitlyn was finally well enough to receive a kidney transplant at seventeen months of age, from her mother, Kelly. This life-saving procedure was done by the transplant team at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ on July 25, 2007.
With the cost of any transplant easily exceeding $500,000, many transplant patients and their families are unable to shoulder the financial burden of such a procedure. The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) is a national charity dedicated to organizing and helping communities in raising funds for transplant-needy patients. After a request for assistance from the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, volunteers are now working with COTA in raising funds on Kaitlyn’s behalf in the greater Long Valley, NJ area. One hundred percent of all funds raised will be used for Kaitlyn’s transplant-related expenses.
You can make a tax-deductible contribution to Kaitlyn’s campaign in any one of the following ways. Secure credit card donations will be accepted at www.cota.org. Alternatively, donations may be mailed directly to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association , 2501 West COTA Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403. Checks or money orders should be made payable to COTA, with "In Honor of Kaitlyn Cross" written on the memo line.
Donations may also be made in person at any PNC Bank branch location using account number 6006224838.
Volunteers are needed to assist with fundraising activities. Individuals and groups interested in more information can contact Tom Cross at 908-852-4401/ t.cross15@comcast.net.
Thank you for your caring and support!
Click to view Kaitlyn’s Beginning
Click to view Kaitlyn’s Kidney Story
Click to view Our Daughter Kaitlyn
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