This month is National Volunteer Blood Donor Month and a local Family is Celebrating Blood Donors, Organ Donors, and their son’s recovery from a very complicated transplant. Washington residents Megan and Brian Riley and traveled a long journey with their Lawson. Lawson was born at 26 weeks in 2016 and only weighed 1 pound and 11 ounces. He spent much of the first year of his life in and out of intensive care.
Lawson was in need of an extensive transplant and was finally able to go through the surgery in July of 2017. The one-year-old received a stomach, colon, intestines, a pancreas, and a liver. He also had his damaged spleen removed. The road to recovery was a long one, but today, four-year-old Lawson is making tremendous strides. His speech has improved and he is healthier than ever.
The family was able to pay for much of the medical costs through fundraising efforts from The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA). They also say COTA helped them network with other parents in similar situations and receive hope from the many recovery stories posted on the site.
