The Children's Organ Transplant Association
was founded on the principle of communities helping families in need. COTA provides assistance, but has never charged for its services.
Family Spotlight
A Two-Time Cord Blood Transplant 'Survivor' is Reaching for the Stars
While Neil Armstrong’s big step and Cord Blood Awareness appear unrelated; they certainly are not for Joseph Krupski. Joseph dreams of one day becoming an astronaut -- a dream that would not be possible without the cord blood transplants he received.
In 2005, while the Krupskis were living in Vermont, two-year-old Joseph appeared to be a healthy and active toddler. He kept up with his older sisters, but his parents Brian and Mary noticed that he seemed to bruise more easily than other children. Due to an unrelated issue, Joseph had some blood work done. A hematologist wanted to be sure everything was correctly diagnosed so he suggested that Joseph have a bone marrow biopsy.
Then, one evening in early December 2005, the Krupskis received a call they will never forget -- the doctor said Joseph had Mylodyplastic Syndrome (MDS) with Monosomy 7 and would need a bone marrow transplant. In that same conversation the doctor scheduled the entire family for appointments in Boston to be tested as possible bone marrow donors for Joseph. The Krupski’s roller coaster transplant journey began.
Brian and Mary started researching the disease and soon discovered medical journal articles that said, “The prognosis is poor. Nearly all reported patients have died of their disease. MDS is rare in childhood and may have a rapidly progressive course with an extremely poor prognosis.” Their doctors confirmed what they were reading -- without a bone marrow transplant, Joseph would have only two more years to live.
No one in the family was a close marrow match for Joseph. The family decided to travel hundreds of miles west, to the University of Minnesota, Fairview in Minneapolis because this center was known for performing successful cord blood transplants.
It was during this time the Krupskis learned about the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA). According to Mary, “COTA has been wonderful. We had to move our entire family from Essex, Vermont, to Minneapolis for the transplant. What we thought would be a 100-day stay turned into a 10-month stay. It simply would not have been possible without COTA.”
Joseph received his first cord blood transplant on April 9, 2006. Unfortunately, it failed … Joseph’s own marrow returned. Brian and Mary were given two options. Either let the disease run its course or start over with a second transplant, which would involve serious risks given his compromised health status. They agreed to the second transplant, which occurred on September 6, 2006. The days were long as they waited to find out if the second transplant would be successful.
“Through the stories of families who survived the incredible challenges of transplantation, COTA gave us hope. With COTA we definitely did not feel like we were in this situation all alone. COTA showed us that someone had already walked this path and that hope offered us something that we didn’t even know we needed at the time,” Mary and
Brian said.
In early October, they received good news: a biopsy showed 100% donor cells. The transplant was a success. On December 21st, the Krupskis left Minnesota to return home to Vermont in time for the holidays. According to Brian and Mary, “Joseph having, and surviving, two cord blood transplants is a miracle in itself. It was also miraculous how so many people poured out their love and resources to support our family through COTA. We could have never imagined that tens of thousands of dollars would be donated to help with Joseph’s transplant-related expenses. Truly a miracle.”
Today, Joseph is a happy and healthy boy. And he is busy giving back: He speaks on behalf of the Ronald McDonald House, the American Red Cross and Hopekids, and he recently ran in a Cancer Research Fund fundraiser.
Look out NASA … Joseph Krupski is headed for the stars!
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.
Who Will Receive Your Property? "Who should receive my property?” remarked Helen to her attorney, Clara. “There are so many decisions to make. Since John passed away, I need to make these decisions myself. Should I give property to the children? Outright or in trust? Is there a best age for them to receive the property? And what if one of them were to pass away before I do? The grandchildren are still too young to manage property. I also have made a loan to one of the children; should I forgive that loan? And what about my dog Rover? Who will take care of Rover?"
Beneficiaries of Your Will
Helen has questions that are very common. She is trying to decide who should be the beneficiary of her will. Plus, there are questions about how old children or other heirs should be when they receive her property, or how she can best plan for someone to take care of the family dog.
You might have several different types of beneficiaries. There could be primary beneficiaries, contingent beneficiaries, life estate and remainder recipients, minors
who receive income from a trust, debtor beneficiaries who receive forgiveness and restricted beneficiaries.
A famous American who included all of these types of gifts in his will was
Benjamin Franklin.
Primary Beneficiaries
Ben Franklin gave his son William all of his property in Nova Scotia "to hold to him, his
heirs and designs forever." Because William received the property outright, he was a primary beneficiary.
You might own specific property such as land, a home or a family heirloom that you want transferred to a primary beneficiary. This is often the starting point for planning your estate distributions.
Life Estate
Franklin owned three homes on Market Street in Philadelphia, other property within Philadelphia and pasture land on Hickory Lane next to the city. He transferred the right
to use that property together with his "silver plate, pictures and household goods"
to his daughter Sarah Bache and her husband Richard Bache for use "during their
natural lives."
This bequest created a life estate. You may have a home or other real property and desire for a person to use that property for his or her lifetime. A life estate is an excellent way to give a person life use of property.
Final Beneficiary
After the lives of Sarah and Richard Bache, the property in Philadelphia they used was transferred to their children. This property was then solely owned by the children.
Following a life estate, the property is usually transferred outright to the remainder or final beneficiaries. If you create a life estate for a person, then you may also designate a person or perhaps a charitable organization to own the property after your life tenant passes away.
Contingent Beneficiary
Ben Franklin wanted to transfer property to his daughter and son-in-law for life, with
the final distribution to their children. But what if one of the children were to pass away prior to the demise of both parents? Franklin indicated that if one of the children were
"to die under age, and without issue," that share would be "equally divided among
the survivors."
A contingent beneficiary is the person who will receive the property if the first person is not living at the time of the transfer. For example, you may wish to give a gift through your will to a brother or sister. But if he or she passes away before you do, then it is important to select another person to receive the property.
Trust for Minors
Ben Franklin understood that some of the children of his daughter Sarah might be quite young at the time when both parents pass away. He stated that some of them are "under age" and "may not have capacity" to manage the property. Therefore, he ordered the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to select "three honest, intelligent, impartial men" to manage the property.
If you plan to assist young children, you will want to create a trust to manage property for the benefit of the children. Primarily, the trust will distribute income and, if needed, principal to the child until each recipient reaches your designated age for distribution of the assets.
Debtor Beneficiaries
Ben Franklin was like many parents in that he made loans to his children. As is quite often the case, he decided to forgive the loans and indicated he would discharge his
son-in-law "from all claim and rent of moneys due to me."
If you have made loans to friends or family members, it is very possible that you may choose to forgive those loans. In effect, you are forgiving the debt and giving back the note or other obligation.
Pet Beneficiaries
Ben Franklin gave away his printing materials and books and left several other bequests. However, it appears that he decided not to make any provision for a pet.
During the past few years, more than half of the state legislatures in the United States have permitted a plan to benefit a pet. The simple solution is for you to transfer a
family pet to a friend and make a gift of sufficient funds to provide for care of the
animal. Of course, you are trusting your friend to provide that care and to use the
funds appropriately.
Some states also allow you to create a pet trust. A trust can be managed by a bank or a commercial trustee, or you can select a private trustee. The property that is transferred to the trust will be used for the care of your pet.
There have been cases in which a trust was created and the trustee was directed to continue payments to the pet caregiver as long as the pet should live. Perhaps not surprisingly, Rover seemed to survive for an unusual period of time. When each Rover passed away, the family replaced Rover with a dog of similar appearance and breed.
So long as the new "Rovers" kept appearing, the trust income payments were made to the family.
For a free copy of the COTA Guide to Trusts brochure, simply send a note or email
to the Children's Organ Transplant Association. Or call Rick Lofgren at 800.366.2682 for immediate assistance. The brochure will be
mailed to you immediately, and our staff will be happy to work with you should you
have questions.
This article is for information purposes and is not binding tax or legal advice. Please consult with your tax advisor for specific items to discover how they impact your situation.
For more information about COTA Planned Giving and tax savings opportunities, simply email Rick Lofgren at
or call him at 800.366.2682 for immediate assistance.
Over the past two decades motorcycle riding organizations have rallied to demonstrate their support for, and to raise funds for, people who need help. In recent years, COTA has seen an increase in the number of ‘Rides for Life’ and other events that center on motorcycling and riding.
In the heart of Kentucky, near Bowling Green, a group of riders holds an annual event for local and visiting bikers, which culminates with a breakfast and a Sunday church service. Three years ago, on the weekend before their annual ride, tragedy struck one of the families who participates
in the ride when their three-year-old son died in a swimming pool accident. Despite
the tremendous emotional strain, the family donated their little boy’s organs. The
family found some comfort in knowing their child had provided life to others
through transplantation.
Incredibly, at a church service the day after the little boy’s funeral, a grandfather announced that his grandson had finally received a second chance at life though a desperately needed heart transplant. The grandfather then asked the congregation to pray for the family who had lost their child. In the church were individuals who had attended the funeral the day before for the child who died in the pool accident. They looked at one another and thought ‘could it be’?
After further investigation and working though the appropriate organizations, the names of the little boys involved in the transplant were shared and the families were connected.
Each summer this motorcycle club holds their annual ride -- now in memory of a little boy who provided life to another child. The special guest: A little boy with a new heart. A special bond formed between a mother who lost a child and a mother whose child was saved. In addition to being a memorial ride, the event is also a celebration of life that draws awareness to the importance of becoming an organ donor.
This group of motorcycle riders is just one of many groups who help COTA raise funds and awareness throughout the country. National groups like The Legion Riders and The Blue Knights, as well as local clubs, can be found riding for a cause.
Are you a motorcycle rider? Would you like to learn how your group can help COTA or a COTA family?
We can help you. Simply click on this link to ‘start the ride’.
For more ideas on ways you can help raise funds for the Children's Organ Transplant Association, contact Doug Lippert at
or by calling 800.366.2682, extension 225.
Let us know how you are implementing COTA’s fundraising ideas/tips, or how you are creating your own ways of raising funds for COTA. To share what you are doing as a COTA Miracle Maker, please contact us at 800.366.2682 or log onto www.cota.org and click on the Contact Us link.
The Children's Organ Transplant Association, (COTA) assists families in a number of ways, but primarily by helping pay transplant-related expenses. Each year COTA works with approximately 150 new families who are facing transplant-related expenses.
COTA does not charge for its services; therefore, 100% of all funds raised for patients' transplant-related expenses are used for patients. One of the reasons that COTA is able to provide services at no charge is because of volunteers, our Miracle Makers, who raise funds for and make donations to COTA. These funds are used for the expenses COTA pays so that all funds raised for our families can
be used for COTA families. Without COTA's Miracle Makers, our work would be much
more difficult.
Have you thought about holding a fundraising event for COTA? It is simple to get started: Just email
or visit www.cota.org and click on the Raise Funds link under the Make a Miracle button. We will help you through the steps and provide the tools you need to be successful.
Here are some basic tips:
Your event should be fun and should keep with the spirit of helping children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant.
Your event should be something that will encourage participation
and engagement.
Weekends are usually a better time to hold an event because event participation is typically higher than during the week.
Donations made directly to COTA by individuals who participate in your event are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
COTA will help you with brochures, organ donor cards and other items that will help you spread the word.
Deciding to raise funds for COTA is the first step. Why not take that step now and learn how you can be a Miracle Maker?
For a complete list of fundraising guidelines and resources available to help you plan an event to raise funds for COTA, contact Doug Lippert at
or by calling 800.366.2682 extension 225.
Free Services -- No Fee or Percentages Taken from Funds Raised
The Children's Organ Transplant Association does not charge a fee or take a percentage of the funds raised in honor of patients --100% of funds raised are available for transplant-related expenses.
While Neil Armstrong’s big step and Cord Blood Awareness appear unrelated; they certainly are not for Joseph Krupski. Joseph dreams of one day becoming an astronaut -- a dream that would not be possible without the cord blood transplants he received.
The Children's Organ Transplant Association, (COTA) assists families in a number of ways, but primarily by helping pay transplant-related expenses. Each year COTA works with approximately 150 new families who are facing transplant-related expenses. 
