Miracle For Madison: Hoboken Infant Needs Heart Transplant

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken infant Madison Cohen needs a miracle.

Diagnosed with a serious heart condition shortly after an ultrasound, the one-month-old child is now in dire need of an organ transplant, according to her parents.

It’s a precarious position for a newborn. But luckily, the infant has already proven herself to be a fighter.

“Our 20-week ultrasound was supposed to be one of the happiest days of our lives,” Hoboken resident Stephanie Cohen wrote. “Unfortunately, after finding out the gender, the doctor also had some devastating news to tell us… We were informed that something was wrong with our sweet baby girl’s heart.”

Madison was soon diagnosed with a congenital heart disease known as Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome. But despite this devastating news, her parents knew that she was given to them for a reason, Cohen stated.

“We decided to name her Madison, which is derived from Matthew, which means ‘gift of God,’ and Matilda, which means ‘strong fighter.’ We knew this was the perfect name for our baby girl as she truly is the best gift we could ever receive.”

But Cohen – a manager at a local fitness studio - and her husband Matthew know that there is a long, frightening road ahead.

Cohen wrote:

“Since her birth date on June 17, she has lived up to her name more than we could have ever imagined. With the help of an amazing team of surgeons, doctors, nurses, and specialists Madison has begun her heart journey. She underwent her first heart surgery on June 29 and has been recovering in the NICU since that time. While we were hoping to have her home in a couple of weeks, we recently learned that Madison’s condition has worsened and that she is in need of a heart transplant. As of July 15, she has been placed on the waiting list for a donor heart. Our love for our baby girl and the love and support of family, friends, and even complete strangers has been carrying us through this difficult time.”

Seeking help for paying Madison’s present and future medical expenses, commuting expenses and various living expenses, her parents launched an online fundraiser on Wednesday. So far, the online campaign has galvanized enormous support in the community; as of Thursday afternoon, about $23,000 has been raised.

See the online campaign or make a donation here.

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