Aug 20 – Bowling Fundraiser to Help 13 Year Old Kendall Todd as She Awaits a New Heart
(Mark H. Stowers, Aug. 14, 2022)
Rochester Hills, MI – For 13 years, she’s lived with only three-quarters of a heart. But Kendall is on the list for a heart transplant and that call could come any day. Dealing with so many medical problems and bills and trying to get through life, friends of Kendall Todd are putting on a bowling fundraiser.
The event takes place Saturday August 20th from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Classic Lanes, 2145 Avon Industrial Drive in Rochester Hills. Admission is $25 per person and $15 for non-bowlers. The admission fee includes two slices of pizza and a drink. The deadline for advance tickets is August 17th. Contact Val Jefferson at (248) 980-2566 to reserve your ticket.
Kendall’s mother, Cewanda, has been on a journey to help her daughter and is looking forward for the call that will take them to Pennsylvania for the transplant when it happens.
“We’re basically waiting for the call. We don’t know when but we’ll have to fly to Pittsburgh and do the surgery,” Cewanda said. “She’s been going to Children’s Hospital in Detroit since she was born but since she has three-quarters of a heart and one lung, they said it’s too complicated to do here.”
Kendall has been to Pittsburgh for testing and follow-up in advance of the surgery – whenever it happens. Then the Todd’s will become “honorary Pittsburgh residents.”
“We will be there at least two months depending on how the recovery goes and the rehab. And once we get home we’ll have to back to Pittsburgh for follow-up for several years,” Cewanda said.
Born with the life-threatening condition called Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS), the condition basically means her right ventricle never developed. Being this is the chamber that pumps blood to the lungs, Kendall’s left lung never fully developed. After four open heart surgeries, a cardiac arrest, stroke and several years of feeding tubes, physical and occupational therapy and rehab, Kendall’s medical bills continue to pile up.
The Children’s Organ Transplant Associations – COTA – has a personalized website for Kendall to explain her plight and where folks can donate at any time. COTA is a 502(c)3 charity and the site is www.cotaforkendall.com.
“She’s been through so much – 27 surgeries on her airway. It’s a lot,” Cewanda said.
Initially the doctors were considering a double transplant with the lung and the heart but with more rejections for lungs, the decision was made to do the heart first.
“They don’t want to give her a brand new heart and then for the lungs to not function,” she said. “She’s totally mobile. She walks and she talks. She had to relearn all those things after her cardiac arrest and stroke. You wouldn’t know that if you met her now.”
The Todd’s also have a Facebook page that details Kendall’s fight – Kendall’s Whole Heart. There is also a website, Kendallswholeheart.com. There are also books and t-shirts for sale on the site. Cewanda wrote them to share their story and give hope to others.
“People need to see a success story. We try to keep the faith and pass it on to other people who may be going through something similar.”
Contact Val Jefferson at (248) 980-2566 to reserve your ticket to the bowling fundraiser, or if you’d like to make a donation visit https://cota.org/campaigns/COTAforKendall.
For more things to do, visit the Oakland County Times Event Page!
To submit event info email editor@oc115.com .
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