LUBBOCK, Texas — When Savannah York found out that her sister, Carolina Cognasi, was the perfect donor match for her 8-month-old baby boy, she couldn’t help but feel immense relief. After weeks of tests, bouts of sickness and searching for a donor, she could feel some ease about her son who was diagnosed with a rare liver disease just days after his birth.
“There was something wrong with his liver. It was very scary and with the disease being so rare, we never heard of it before,” York said.
After the diagnosis, the Lubbock family moved their life to San Antonio to reach the resources to find a donor. It took about a month and a half until they found out that Arden’s aunt was a 100% match on Monday, April 15.
“Carolina was just like ‘I’ll give him whatever organ he needs like he can have anything,’” York said.
Cognasi stayed true to her word. She was determined to see her sister be a mom.
“Savannah and her personality – she was put on this Earth to be a mom … and I would do anything to let her live out that dream,” Cognasi said.
After York received the discouraging news that she, her husband and her sister-in-law weren’t donor matches, they knew they might have to go back to square one if Cognasi wasn’t either. York also had the constant worry that her son would fall sick again as the disease progressed without a transplant.
“We just felt relief for him because we knew like ‘Okay, we have more time with him’ because it was uncertain,” York said about finding out Cognasi was a match.
Cognasi said she’s ready for the surgery that will be at the end of May and to always be a part of Arden’s life.
“I just want to see him live out a happy, healthy life,” Cognasi said.
York said the family feels like they finally had a leg to stand on with the matching donor news, however, they still need support to pay for Arden’s medical expenses.
You can donate to Arden’s family here.
