WHAT’S NEWS IN MONROEVILLE
For more information about the
Children’s Organ Transplant Association,
or to find a COTA family in your area,
email [email protected].
Myka Joy Reeder
LOCAL FAMILY
CELEBRATES BLOOD
AND ORGAN DONORS
ON THEIR DAUGHTER’S
TWO-YEAR LIVER
TRANSPLANT-IVERSARY
January is designated as National Blood
Donor Month by the American Red Cross
to encourage donors to give blood, which is
typically in short supply during winter due
to the holidays and inclement weather that
makes people more prone to illness.
A local Children’s Organ Transplant
Association (COTA) family will be forever
grateful to the blood donors whose blood
was used throughout their daughter’s
transplant journey, and for her liver
transplant that occurred two years ago on
Jan. 7.
Regan and Richie Reeder of Monroeville
are stepping into 2019 hoping and praying
this is a year of no medical emergencies, no
surgeries, no complications and no setbacks
for their little girl, Myka Joy, who will turn 4
years old on Jan. 30—a dream come true for
their family.
On day three of Myka’s life, her
temperature dropped, she refused to eat,
her breathing was labored and Regan knew
6
724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE
❘
something was very wrong. Myka Joy
was transferred to Children’s Hospital
of Pittsburgh of UPMC where it was
discovered that the newborn was in an
acidotic coma and fighting for her life. The
breast milk she had eaten since her birth
had literally turned into poisonous toxins
in her blood. The team of specialists at the
hospital surgically placed a line so dialysis
could be performed on Myka’s blood.
After two rounds of blood dialysis, the
baby started to stabilize.
Over the next several days, Regan
and Richie learned Myka had a genetic
disorder, Methylmalonic Acidemia
(MMA), which meant she was born
without an enzyme needed to break down
certain amino acids in protein.
After almost three weeks in the NICU’s
most intensive treatment area and
placement of a G-tube, the Reeders were
able to take Myka home and to begin to
learn how to care for her and her ongoing
medical needs. They eventually came
to the conclusion that Myka Joy’s best
chance at long-term survival would be a
lifesaving and costly liver transplant.
A transplant social worker at Children’s
Hospital introduced COTA to the Reeders
and suggested they might want to consider
fundraising for the transplant-related
medical costs they would face. In July
2016, Regan called COTA to learn more
and ask about how the group might be
able to help.
A month later, a COTA fundraising
specialist trained volunteers in the area
for a campaign in honor of Myka Joy and
walked the group of attendees through the
entire COTA fundraising process.
COTA uniquely understands that
parents who care for a child or young
adult before, during and after a lifesaving
transplant have enough to deal with,
so its model shifts the responsibility
for fundraising to a community team
of trained volunteers. COTA funds are
available for a lifetime.
icmags.com
NEW EXECUTIVE CHEF
JOINS ESTA ESTA
RESTAURANT
Executive Chef Robert “Bobby”
Morrow has joined Executive Chef
and Owner Michael Marie at Esta Esta
Restaurant.
Morrow brings 43
years of experience
at several well-
known restaurants,
including the
Helmsley Hotel
and the Longue
Vue Club, to
the Esta Esta.
In addition to
Chef Robert Morrow
being a Certified
Executive Chef and Certified Food Service
Manager, he is also proud to be a Gateway
High School grad. He and Mike Marie
have known and respected one another for
40 years.
“I’m excited to work with Michael,
sharing our culinary talents,” says Morrow.
“Our vision is to make Esta Esta the best
dining experience in Monroeville.”
EVERYONE DESERVES A
CLEAN AND BEAUTIFUL
NEIGHBORHOOD
JOIN THE GREAT AMERICAN
CLEANUP OF PA
Cleaning up your neighborhood is one
of the best investments you can make.
Whether you have vacant lots plagued
with debris, natural areas that are dumped
on, or litter blown from down the street,
any neighborhood can be lifted up by
positive action.
The 15th annual Keep Pennsylvania
Beautiful Great American Cleanup
of PA can help get you started. From
March 1 through May 31, thousands of
Pennsylvanians will partake in litter and
illegal dump cleanups, beautification