Family Spotlight

Meet Zach Baza ... A COTA Miracle

Zach Baza arrived in the world with much fanfare. The baby boy was born to Jesse and Carmelita, who were already raising four beautiful daughters. They were ecstatic at having a son, but within days joy turned to anxiety when they realized Zach had serious medical problems. While less than 24-hours-old, Zach had his first surgery where 12 blockages were discovered in his small intestine. Thirty days later the same surgery was performed to remove more blockages. Several months later Zach was still not able to keep any food down or have it go through his intestines. Zach became critically ill and by the middle of March 2008, Jesse and Carmelita were told the baby was in liver failure; they should begin making funeral arrangements.

Right before signing a do not resuscitate order for Zach, Jesse and Carmelita talked to a surgeon who said there was one last call they could make … to the transplant team at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. They made the call and four days later Jesse, Carmelita and Baby Zach were on a plane to Omaha. By the end of that week Zach was listed for transplant, and on his six-month birthday (April 14, 2008), Zach received a small bowel, pancreas and liver transplant.

While Jesse and Carmelita were relieved, at the same time, they were frightened about the mounting costs they were facing. They were encouraged to contact the Children's Organ Transplant Association (COTA) to ask for guidance. They did and with COTA's assistance, the community of San Antonio rallied to help raise funds in honor of Zach.

"We had already been through the transplant surgery when we learned about COTA. We were facing mounting medical bills and our baby was struggling after a very serious surgery. We didn't know where we were going to go to get the money for our monthly COBRA payments when Carmelita's job was eliminated. It was COTA that gave us hope and helped us find a way," said Jesse.

"COTA provided us with a website to keep all of our friends, family members and supporters informed of Zach's condition while we were in Omaha," said Carmelita. "COTA also got our volunteers excited about fundraising. COTA is such a big part of the miracle we have experienced."

Please visit www.cota.org and select “Find a COTA Family” to locate a transplant family in your area needing financial and/or volunteer assistance.

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Family Resources

Back To School

For transplant patients, back-to-school can mean additional stress and germ exposure that can lead to medical and emotional issues. And for the child who missed school days due to a transplant, reconnecting with other students and 'fitting in' can be difficult. Couple that with the difficulty some parents face while working with the school administration to ensure that their child's special health needs are being met. Suddenly back-to-school is not a joyous time at all.

There are resources available to help kids and parents transition to regular school schedules. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has a series of informational brochures, booklets, webisodes and videos that address the needs of the child and the parent, as well as the responsibilities of the school. While most of the information focuses on kids with cancer, much of the material is applicable to transplant patients, too.

To access more information go to www.leukemia-lymphoma.org, then look for the Patient Services area and click on Back to School Resources.

For more information about Transplant Family Resources, please or visit www.cota.org and click on “Family Resources”.

Why Benefit Verification Is So Important

One source of support is Astellas Reimbursement Services^SM (ARS). ARS can help transplant recipients taking Astellas medications such as Prograf^© (tacrolimus capsules) to get the answers they need about reimbursement. Specifically, ARS can clarify coverage of Prograf under your insurance plan and can even research coverage before treatment is stated -- thereby minimizing any potential disruption in your treatment. You can get more information about ARS by visiting www.astellasreimbursement.com or by calling 1-800-477-6472.

In order to protect your health and that of your transplanted organ, it is very important for you to take your medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Taking advantage of the services of ARS can help you gain access to Prograf (tacrolimus capsules) if your doctor has prescribed it for you. ARS can offer the help you need to make sure financial concerns don't interrupt your prescribed regimen.

ARS is an important resource that provides high-quality support across the reimbursement spectrum, including benefit verification and prior authorization. ARS also provides billing and claims assistance for healthcare providers. Visit www.astellasreimbursement.com to learn more about ARS.

Prograf© (tacrolimus capsules) is approved for the prevention of organ rejection in patients who have received a liver, kidney, or heart transplant. Only physicians and facilities specializing in transplantation should manage patients taking Prograf. Anti-rejection medications may increase the possibility of developing an infection or lymphoma, a type
of cancer.

Important Safety Information About Prograf^© (tacrolimus capsules)
Before starting Prograf, tell your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to have a baby, or breastfeeding. Since some medicines can affect your body's ability to use Prograf, tell your doctor whenever you receive a new medicine, including any over-the-counter medicines
or herbal supplements. Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice in combination
with Prograf.

In clinical studies, up to 22% of patients taking Prograf developed insulin dependent diabetes, but in some patients, after two years, insulin was no longer required. Black and Hispanic kidney transplant patients were at an increased risk. Early signs of diabetes include frequent thirst or urination, blurred vision, or confusion. You should tell your doctor if you experience any of these.

Prograf has been associated with toxicity to the kidneys and nervous system. Common side effects are tremor, headache, high blood pressure, diarrhea, nausea, constipation, stomach pain, changes in kidney function, diabetes, low white cell count, infection, and high cholesterol/lipid levels.

Prograf should not be used in patients allergic to tacrolimus. Take Prograf exactly as your doctor tells you to. Take it before or after you eat at the same time each day. Only your healthcare professional can weigh the risks and benefits of a prescription medication and decide which medication is the right one for you.

Please click here for full prescribing information.

©2010 Astellas Pharma US, Inc. 010D-032-1789 06/10 Printed in USA

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COTA Family News

Medication Expense Payment and Programs

COTA can help pay your family's transplant medication expenses. Please remember to submit the original prescription tag when submitting reimbursement requests for transplant-related prescriptions.

To help with medication expenses, COTA is please to share information about the Prograf^® Value Card. Certain COTA kidney, liver and heart patients who meet specific criteria may be eligible for a Prograf^® Value Card. In order to learn more about the Value Card, please visit www.transplantmedsavings.com.

Please contact COTA at 800.366.2682 or email FamilyInfo@cota.org with any questions you may have about the transplant-related expense payment process. Please pick up the phone or send us an email if you have any questions -- we enjoy hearing from
our families!

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COTA Fast Fact

Funds Raised Are Not Taxable and Will Not Jeopardize Assistance Programs
Because the Children's Organ Transplant Association is the recipient and steward of the funds raised in honor of patients, these funds are not considered income for families. Families are not taxed on these funds, nor do these funds jeopardize any assistance programs patients have, or may qualify for in the future.

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