Four Decades of Donors: A Texas Family’s Transplant Journey Through the Years Then. Now. Always.
- Best Ever You
- 14 minutes ago
- 5 min read
February is the month to celebrate love and hearts. Each February, the Osterman Family of Dallas, Texas celebrates their son’s birthday, his new heart and the huge hearts of many friends and family members who worked with the Children’s Organ Transplant Association to ensure the family had a safety net for a lifetime of transplant-related expenses.
COTA was founded in April 1986 when an Indiana family could not afford the liver transplant their toddler son needed to survive. Their family members and friends canvassed neighborhoods and county fairs to collect cash and coins to help. That first group of volunteers formed the foundation of what would grow to become COTA. Today, 40 years later, COTA is a national non-profit committed to helping transplant families avoid financial devastation.
“I distinctly remember the room we were sitting in when we heard Ethan’s Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) diagnosis,” COTA Mom Lauren Osterman said. “Ethan had just celebrated his first birthday, and we were told a heart transplant was his only chance at survival. This was more than a decade ago and still today I remember that incredibly dark moment.”
She continued, “But I also vividly remember a transplant social worker who told us there could be life after transplant for our family. She told us there was an organization called the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) that offers services and support to ease the financial reality we would be facing. Just hearing those words … at that moment … was a glimmer of light during a very dark time for us.”
In addition to managing their baby’s challenging health situation, Lauren remembers asking Ethan’s father, Jake, “So who are we going to ask to take on this huge task of leading a COTA for Ethan O fundraising effort?” Both Lauren and Jake knew this was a big ask. Lauren recalls talking to one of her best friends, and through tears, telling her about COTA. She told her friend their only hesitation to start working with COTA was that they needed to find three volunteer leaders. And they did not know who to ask. Her friend said, “Me!” With her instant willingness, Lauren and Jake decided to have conversations with two other friends who also immediately agreed to do anything necessary to help the family. They will never forget hearing, “Please go focus on Ethan and let us work with COTA and handle the fundraising.” And these amazing friends, and outstanding COTA volunteers, did just that, according to Lauren.
While this team of dedicated volunteers started working to organize COTA fundraisers, Ethan’s health was deteriorating. He contracted a serious virus, which forced his team of doctors to remove him from the transplant-eligible list. Lauren remembers, “Ethan’s health was so poor. We made our peace and said ‘goodbye’ to our little boy. But Ethan was up for the fight. Our family members and COTA volunteers began praying, and Ethan improved enough to be relisted.” Within hours of being re-listed, the Ostermans got the call.
On April 20, 2013, Ethan was in surgery receiving his new heart while members of #HeartForceEthan were in the waiting room with Jake and Lauren. They heard the incredible news together … Ethan’s heart transplant was a success. In the months that followed his heart transplant, their COTA volunteer team raised more than $50,000 for COTA in honor of Ethan O.
“When your child is in heart failure and awaiting a transplant, every aspect of life becomes more difficult. Finding COTA, and starting to work with this amazing organization, eliminated a huge stressor and gave us hope. COTA allowed us to focus on what mattered most … a second chance at life for our son,” Lauren said.
Since Ethan was featured more than a decade ago in COTA’s 2015 Calendar, his heart transplant journey has literally (and thankfully) been smooth sailing, according to Lauren. She said there have been no issues … no blips … and no rejection. “The core group of Ethan’s heart transplant team at Dallas Children’s is still there – 13 years later,” she said. “We have quarterly checkups with them and once each year we go for a big checkup with many tests.”
The best news? Ethan will celebrate his 14th birthday this month.
“In addition to how well Ethan has done 13 years post heart transplant, it is a huge relief to us knowing COTA funds raised in his honor are for a lifetime. That alleviates any sense of ‘immediate crisis’ when we still receive calls and letters from the insurance company. And there have been lots of those over the decade,” Lauren said.
“Sometimes there is a sense of dread or fear when we have to face tremendous hurdles to get the drugs our transplant team prescribes. We sometimes panic and think, ‘How much is this going to cost?’ Then Jake and I remind each other we have COTA, and we are always able to breathe easier,” she said.
Looking back to inpatient days and the ups and downs of waiting for a new heart, Lauren also remembers how important their COTA team of volunteers was to their family … and continue to be today. “Having a team of COTA volunteers meant the world to us. The hope they gave us during difficult days is beyond words. They surrounded our family with love and support. And their efforts were such a show of force and energy. It made us feel Ethan was going to be OK because of their sheer will, successful fundraising and never-ending support.”
Lauren also remembers that during challenging times in his transplant journey, they would periodically check the COTA for Ethan O website to watch the donation thermometer grow. “We had a specific, overarching fear that insurance would not cover critical medications so we were always planning for worse-case scenarios. COTA fundraising in Ethan’s honor alleviated that concern. Simply knowing we had COTA helped us breathe easier, focus less on the financial aspects of Ethan’s transplant and concentrate on his future,” she explained.
Ethan has been able to live a relatively normal life since his heart transplant in 2013. He has been fortunate from a medical standpoint that today he only has routine appointments and takes daily medications. The Ostermans remain awed and grateful with the passing of each April transplant anniversary.
COTA’s unwavering commitment … a Lifetime of Support … continues to be important to Lauren and Jake. They remember the gut punch they felt when they learned their first child would be born with a life-threatening heart condition. Not only did they have to navigate the uncertainty of the diagnosis, they also had to navigate the financial uncertainties associated with a medically intensive journey. Becoming part of COTA eased many of their fears then, and today, it continues to be a comfort … and will be for a lifetime.
Throughout 2026, the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) is celebrating 40 years of its commitment to being “The Trusted Leader Supporting Families … For a Lifetime.” COTA is also celebrating four Decades of Donors -- those who make the selfless decision to become organ and tissue donors and financial contributors who have helped raise more than $160 million for transplant-related expenses. COTA was founded by one Indiana family in 1986. Today, thousands of transplant families, like the Ostermans, rely on COTA’s guidance and support, which is provided at no cost.
To find a COTA family in your area, please email kim@cota.org.