Support Carla's heart transplant

Co-organized

Jeannine Vanner and Joseph Varco are organizing this fundraiser on behalf of Joseph Varco.

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What started out as a simple cold has forever changed the life of our beautiful, loving and funny 17-year-old niece, Carla Varco.

On Sunday, December 24th, 2023, our brother, Joseph (Oakie) Varco, his wife, Salvatrice (Sal) Messina, their son, Enzo and daughter, Carla, traveled from Syracuse to Buffalo to be with family and friends looking forward to Carla's favorite holiday, Christmas.

Carla hadn't been feeling well so that afternoon Joe and Sal decided to take her to urgent care in hopes of obtaining something to alleviate her symptoms. Upon visiting with medical staff they were encouraged to take Carla to the ER. After several tests, X-rays and MRI's at Oshei Children's Hospital in Buffalo NY, Carla was diagnosed with an enlarged heart, a blood clot in the left chamber of her heart and was immediately admitted. On Christmas day, due to the seriousness of her condition, she was transferred into the cardiac pediatric ICU at Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong Memorial in Rochester NY where she had to be intubated. After 2 weeks of continuous treatment, testing and medications there was no improvement.

Carla's case was presented to physicians at Mt. Sinai Hospital in NYC, where it was determined that her best chance of survival would be a heart transplant.

On Friday, January 12th, Carla and Joe were successfully airlifted from Rochester to NYC where Carla is resting comfortably, but now the wait begins.

Joe and Sal will be taking turns, each traveling every other week to NYC from their home in Syracuse NY so someone can be there to care for their son, Enzo, who is on the Autism spectrum. In order to give both Carla and Enzo the full time care and support they need, Joe and Sal are forced to sacrifice time from work.

All donations will go directly to the family to help cover immediate medical and travel expenses, but also for the long road of healing in the days, weeks and years ahead.

The Varco-Messina family (Joe, Salvatrice, Enzo, Nona Nancy, Aunt Jeannine and Aunt Monique) thank you all for your love and support and continue to pray that Carla conquers this fight.