BOSTON — A 6-year-old Worcester boy waiting for a heart transplant is asking people to send him Christmas cards as he spends another holiday in the hospital.
Carlos Rolon was born with an unbalanced atrioventricular canal defect – an abnormality of one of the four chambers of his heart. By the age of two, he had had four heart surgeries.
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On Aug. 31, Carlos was admitted to Boston Children's Hospital with an infection. Doctors told his mother, Sheena Cossette, that her son wouldn't be able to go home until he got a new heart.
Wednesday marked the 94th day Carlos has been in the hospital. While he stays upbeat dancing and playing video games in his room, he's beginning to realize he is going to spend his favorite holiday, Christmas, away from home.
"He sees a lot of the kids come and go, and he's starting to question when he's going to get to go, and we tell him when he gets a new heart," Cossette told Boston 25 News outside Children's Hospital Wednesday night. "But with the holidays coming, we're trying to make it as best as we can here."
Carlos and his mom came up with an idea to help cheer him up over the holiday. Cossette posted a video on Facebook of Carlos asking for people to send him Christmas cards.
"Can you send me some Christmas cards, please?" Carlos says.
"What are we going to do with them?" Cossette asks.
"Decorate my room," Carlos says, adding, "thank you!"
"It does give him hope," Cossette said. "He knows people are still thinking about him, even though all he knows right now is a hospital room."
Cossette said the request Carlos is making is small, but the greatest present of all will be his gift of life.
Carlos's heart will need to come from another child, meaning another family would have to decide on organ donation in their own child's final days.
"I'm praying for a Christmas miracle," Cossette said. "Unfortunately, with that being said, another child has to pass. If I had a message to send to anyone, I couldn't imagine being on the other end. But just know overall if you did want to donate, you would be saving someone else's life, and parents like me who are waiting, that would be one of the greatest gifts you could give."
You can send cards to Carlos here:
Sheena Cossette c/o Carlos Rolon PO Box 3497 Worcester, MA 01613
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