Cohen's rehab and transplant journey!! Anything helps
Donation protected
I'm Rai, I'm fighting for my family, and my nephew to get to the USA for extensive treatment that is not available in canada to try to save his life.
Most of you don't know, but my sister and Tyson (Cohen's father) son, my nephew, and our dad/Tysons parents grandchild, is currently fighting for his life, in unimaginable ways. I'm not a big facebook person, nor do I share much, but I'm doing this for my family, my sis.
My sister and I were taught to fight for what we wanted on our own; especially Shai, she has done and sacrificed so much in her life, and now shes going through the rollarcoaster of thoughts every second, to try and research, understand, yet still hold it together for Cohen and her other children. Cohen keeps her aware and direct while she asks questions to our medical system, since she is a nurse.
Asking for help can make you feel helpless, and scared. You can end up feeling fear of judgement, rejection, loss, where it becomes challenging. How do you stay strong? Support! Or someone to do it for you.
Little did we know, it's okay to ask for it, life is a proccess, and sometimes people need help.
Cohen is struggling at the age of 2 with liver failure, it all started when he was first born. He was puking up bile for 2 days and was unresponsive, and Shai, from the start, felt something was off, vocalized and advocated for help, but was not heard, rather they tried to convinced her he was fine. (Her mother instinct was neglected)
Shortly after... Cohen collapsed, he was rushed to the Victoria hospital, and seperated from my sister, his mother.. After multiple emergency life saving surgeries, within the first 2 days of his life, Cohen had just over 95% of his small intestines removed leaving him with 4 inches, due to something that could have been noticed, and SHOULD HAVE been noticed, AND assessed before it got to that point. He was put on "medicine" to give him the "nutrients he needed on a day to day basis" for the rest of his life (known as TPN, total parental nutrition) This medicine is to give carbs, protein, vitamins.... really any nutrients you need to survive. This synthetic medicine harmed his liver severely, along with all the sepsis and necrotic organs that sat inside of him for 2 days at the very beginning of his life.
He is now in liver failure with advanced cirrhosis and has he has now been put on the Canadian transplant list for a new small bowel, pancreas and liver. Unfortunately it's a rare to get these organs (if available) a liver transplant on its own cannot be done, because it can not be supported or connected without the intestine, else it will fail again. And the clock is ticking for their/our family.
Shai, Tyson Cohen, sibblings, and family are going to try and get them to the USA for treatments for Cohen that aren't available in Canada; hoping he can get the help he needs to survive this and for further medical recommendations. They are going to attempt, pray and try to clear Cohens medical needs for an intestinal transplant that has an ultimately scary success rates.. To try and give him the future, strength and happiness he gives us all, and deserves on his own for the fight he has given.
We don't give up on family, this boy is the happiest man ever. He fights for this life daily and he now needs our support.
If you can't donate, please just send a prayer to Cohen most importantly, but also her heart, Tysons, and the kiddos. Anything is appreciated.
Organizer
Rai Mcnulty
Organizer
West Kelowna, BC