Winchester family searching for organ donation for their baby
For one family out of Winchester, the search began when they officially became a family of four.
Their soon-to-be one-year-old Evelyn, is currently in need of a liver.
“We call Evelyn our miracle baby,” says Nicole Marcum, Evelyn’s mother, as she recalls when she found out her daughter might need an organ donation.
“So it was actually she was only about five days old when we noticed that she actually had pale stools. That was not something at the time that I was aware of is a sign of an issue with the baby,” as Marcum continued to be on high alert, she was also doing research, and knew something was not right.
“When we got the diagnosis, you know, it was pretty devastating because we had kind of been told like it would be really rare for her to have this. But, at the end of the day, that’s what she was diagnosed with biliary atreesia. So, basically, due to the excess bile, your liver starts not to function the way that it should, it starts to harden and, eventually leads to end-stage liver failure,” she adds.
At five weeks old, Evelyn underwent a procedure to try and save her liver.
But Marcum says baby Evelyn is still in need of a transplant.
“Once you reach the point where you’re at a transplant center and you’re talking about financial assistance, they direct you to the COTA (Children’s Organ Transplant Association) if you have not already been in contact with them,” also says Marcum.
As the search continues, Evelyn is receiving treatment at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital alongside the Children’s Organ Transplant Association.
Marcum also spoke on COTA and how they have helped and continue to help Evelyn, “they help parents with expenses related to transplant which is really great because, it helps donors want know that the funds that they’re giving are directly to support Evelyn there.”
And while baby Evelyn continues her fight, Nicole is grateful for the support from the Winchester community. Nicole is also a mom to four-year-old Vivian, she hopes Evelyn’s story will encourage others, “one day be an organ donor and, and save someone’s life like my daughter’s.”
If you’d like to make a donation, you can go to the ongoing fundraiser by clicking here.
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 Evelyn” written on the memo line.
