Community members are rallying for Cohen Hotchen, who will turn two on May 4 and has spent his short life battling numerous serious health threats
Hotchen, a Cowichan Valley resident, is in need of a liver, small bowel and pancreas transplant.
It was not a happy start to the new year for his mom and dad Shai and Tyson, as Cohen, after being placed on the transplant list on Dec. 18, 2024, was placed on life support and dialysis on Jan. 2 due to his kidneys, lungs, and heart failing.
This brought haunting flashbacks to Cohen's first days as he was diagnosed with a mid-gut volvulus in his small intestine shortly after his birth. On his second day in this world he underwent the first of many life-saving surgeries to remove the necrotic bowel, taking out the majority of his small intestine. This was just the beginning of what has been a long and daunting health journey for Cohen and his family, which also includes two other siblings.
With each intervention to save Cohen's life doctors were skeptical but this little survivor has defied all the odds.
To say that the family, who reside in Cobble Hill, has been emotionally overwhelmed would be an understatement.
Longtime family friend Allie Quaife has started a Facebook group called 'Community for Cohen'.
"People have been offering to help in any way possible," said Quaife. "Cohen's health is slowly starting to improve every day, and as of Jan. 5, Cohen had come off of life support and all heart medications. While he failed coming off dialysis the first time, there is still a lot of hope and his kidneys just may need more time to recover."
Cohen remains in hospital as he awaits a transplant, and the family said they will need to live in Toronto for up to six months in its wake. After that, Shai hopes to take Cohen to a specialist in the U.S. to give him the best chance at recovery.
Quaife, along with Moo's Pizza owner Melissa Cottam, has started a beer and burger fundraiser with a silent auction which will take place at Duncan's Eagle's Hall on Jan. 11 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. It takes a village to help a child, and many have had a hand in this fundraiser including Anissa Dingwall who has made t-shirts to represent Cohen's strength. Tickets are going fast but are still available at Moo's Pizza, Red Arrow Brewery, and Eagles Hall. For more information visit the Community for Cohen Facebook page.
Another way to give back is though multiple bottle drives that have been set up in the community, use account #901 at the Duncan location, #275 at the Cobble Hill location, or for those further north #275 in Ladysmith.
There is also a GoFundMe: gofund.me/70519669.
"Many people in the community are coming together to help Cohen's family through one of the toughest things a child and parent could ever imagine," said Quaife. "Please continue to pray for Cohen and keep him in your thoughts as this is a life most of us cannot imagine and for a 20-month-old child's ability to pull off multiple miracles is truly an inspiration."
