Chloe Cassell receives life-saving transplant

With the cost of a life-saving transplant often exceeding $800,000, most transplant families 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. In Durham, North Carolina, volunteers are raising funds for COTA in honor of transplant patients like Chloe Cassell.  

Chloe is the daughter of Kellyn Cassell and Morgan Cassell. Born in 2012, Chloe was diagnosed with Acute Liver Failure. The transplant team at Duke Children’s Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, performed a life-saving liver transplant November 22, 2021.

Durham volunteers are raising $65,000 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 Brenda Cochran at bmcoch ran1964@gmail.com or 304-456-3091.

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

Chloe’s family has asked for assistance from the Children’s Organ Transplant Association. One hundred per-cent of all funds raised for COTA in honor of patients assist with 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 Chloe’s Crew” written on the memo line. Secure credit card gifts are accepted online at www.COTAforChloesCrew.com 

Chloe’s dad, Kellyn Cassell, is a 2000 graduate of Pocahontas County High School. He is the creator and director of the Greenbrier River Trail Marathon, held each October.