The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) will host its Inaugural Miracle Maker Celebration on June 28 at the NCAA Headquarters Christine Grant Ballroom in Indianapolis. This event will recognize and honor the many contributions provided by more than 200,000 COTA Miracle Makers nationwide.
Since 1986, transplant-needy kids and young adults from every state have been able to receive a second chance at life due to COTA Miracle Makers. COTA’s nationwide network of Miracle Makers provides assistance and support to families who are facing a life-saving transplant. This assistance has been provided from coast to coast to transplant families who represent a diverse combination of ethnic, economic, religious and social backgrounds.
“Thanks to our Miracle Makers, COTA is able to give transplant families hope for a brighter tomorrow, and help provide the miracle of transplantation to children and young adults in partnership with transplant centers throughout the nation ,” said Rick Lofgren, COTA’s President and CEO.
Jeff Saturday will be the featured guest at the June 28 Miracle Maker Celebration. Saturday is a retired American football center who played for the Indianapolis Colts and the Green Bay Packers of the NFL. Saturday played 13 seasons for the Colts, where he won a Super Bowl ring and was selected to four All-Pro teams and five Pro Bowls. He will speak to the gathered group of COTA Miracle Makers regarding how kids have benefited from community support and encouragement from groups he has worked with in the past.
At the event, George Taliaferro will be given COTA’s First Miracle Maker Award.
A native of Gary, Ind., Taliaferro is a volunteer who has been committed for many years to causes that impact youth. His commitment dates back to his work as a member of the Baltimore Colts and Philadelphia Eagles professional football teams. George Taliaferro is a member of the Indiana University Athletic Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame and numerous other halls of fame.
He was a member of Indiana University’s undefeated football team of 1945, and he was the first African-American drafted into the NFL by George Halas of the Chicago Bears in 1947.
Taliaferro has distinguished himself as an athlete, educator, administrator, father and volunteer in the Bloomington, Ind. community for more than four decades. He is also Chairman Emeritus of COTA’s Board of Directors and has been a devoted COTA Miracle Maker for nearly two decades.
Two COTA families from the area will be sharing their transplant journeys at COTA’s inaugural Miracle Maker Celebration.
Suzanne and Jim Seiders of Indianapolis will talk about multiple transplant experiences with their eight-year-old daughter, Lauren. Lauren’s first transplant was seven years ago, and today she is enjoying a healthy childhood. According to her parents, the COTA in honor of Lauren S team of volunteers were true miracle makers for this family.
Gia and Fred Cruz of Brownsburg, Indiana, will also speak about their daughter, Bella, and her road to a kidney transplant with Gia as the donor. This family will share how COTA gave them hope in many ways. COTA kids Lauren Seiders and Bella Cruz will be in attendance at COTA’s Miracle Maker Celebration.
The Children’s Organ Transplant Association is a national charity that provides fundraising assistance to transplant families. Since 1986, COTA’s priority is to assure that no child or young adult is denied a transplant or excluded from a transplant waiting list due to lack of funds. 100% of all funds raised in honor of transplant patients are used for transplant-related expenses.
For more information about COTA, visit cota.org.
