Update: April, 2009

It has been a year since Kyle met with Dr. John Wagner of the University of Minnesota about the new experimental treatment for EB.  Kyle was accepted into the clinical trials program and Dr. Wagner estimated the cost for the bone marrow transplant to be from $500,000 - $700,000.  While awaiting approval from Kyle's insurance companies for the treatment, his family decided to enlist the help of the Children's Organ Transplant Association (COTA) to raise money for incidentals that would not be covered by insurance.   When Kyle's insurance companies denied coverage of the experimental procedure, the COTA goal amount was raised to $500,000 to help fund the treatment.

 The hospital indicated they could start the procedure with an 80% deposit when a cost was more closely estimated.  The insurance companies said they would again consider coverage of Kyle's treatment when the clinical trial results had been peer reviewed and published.  A fourth child has now received the experimental treatment and the clinical trial results from the first patient are in the peer review phase.   So the family continues to wait for the results to be published with hope for renewed insurance possibilities and Team Kyle continues to raise funds for Kyle's treatment. 

Kyle now has $262,000 in his COTA fund.  Kyle and his family are so very grateful to those who have contributed to his transplant fund and to Team Kyle for working so hard on his behalf.  Kyle is 18 now and a high school junior.  He continues to hope and work toward his dream of a longer, pain-free life.  Your help can make Kyle's miracle happen.

Thank you for caring about him and sharing your time and resources with him.

The family of Kyle Hicks