With the cost of a transplant often exceeding $500,000, many transplant patients are unable to shoulder the financial burden of such a procedure. The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) is a national charity dedicated to organizing and guiding communities in raising funds for transplant-needy patients. In the Winder area, volunteers are raising funds for transplant patients like local boy Lance Witt.

Born on July 14, 2003, Lance was diagnosed with End Stage Cardiomyopathy, and doctors at Children’s Health Care of Atlanta in Georgia performed a life-saving heart transplant on June 29, 2009. An estimated $100,000 is being raised by Winder area volunteers. Please look at our blog and Photo gallery. We will be updating it daily!!! Thank you so much for your interest in Lance's Journey. Lance had his second heart surgery April 17,2009. This surgery didn't go as planned and his heart function never recovered. After a month in a half at the hospital his kidneys started failing and there were no other options but to proceed with heart transplant.  Lance waited only five day for his miracle. He then needed another surgery the day after his transplant because his aorta was constricted. After this delicate surgery was over he suffered with many problems and stayed in the hospital for a total of 92 days. He finally got strong enough where they felt comfortable enough to send him home. We came home August 1, 2009 and he continues to grow stronger everyday. We are so Thankful for the gift we have been given by our organ donor's family. We hope to meet them one day to express our gratitude. We know this will take time for this to happen. We need to let them process their loss. This whole experience is life changing and it truly makes you value all your blessings that you may have taken for granted in the past.