Care 4 Cora Golf Tournament to aid local girl
GANSEVOORT, N.Y. » Cora Gargano is like any other 4-yearold girl. She loves to dance and listen to music. She likes to play outside with her 8-yearold sister, Chloe. Next month, Cora turns five. Her family calls her their warrior. They have since Cora was born with a congenital heart defect. She continues to fight.
“An adult couldn’t do what she does. She has a heart disease, a kidney disease, she has epilepsy. Most adults don’t even go through what she’s been through in a lifetime and she’s had all of this in only four years,” said Cora’s mother, Kelly. “She’s always smiling. She’s always happy. It’s unbelievable.”
Cora needs a kidney transplant, and the family is trying to locate a kidney donor. Kelly and her husband, Anthony, have family and friends who continue to support them. It’s why they decided to organize a fundraiser and awareness event called the Care 4 Cora Golf Tournament, which takes place Sept. 29 at Airway Meadows Golf Club beginning at 12:30 p.m. There’s more to the event, however, then golf. There’s an after party featuring live music by Dylan Moran, dessert from Left Field and food by Spring Street Deli along with 50/50 raffles, face painting and drinks.
“It’s going to be real festive,” said Richie Snyder, one of the event’s organizers. “It’s a great way to raise some money for a wonderful family and a wonderful girl who is really a fighter and deserves our support.”
Due to complications with an early heart procedure Cora had several blood clots throughout her body including her heart, brain and kidneys within her first month of life. These clots led to multiple strokes including a right hemisphere massive stroke which left her with left sided hemiparesis, severe developmental
delays and epilepsy. The clot that went to her kidneys left her with permanent kidney damage, stage IV Chronic Kidney Disease. The funds raised will help with a future kidney transplant at Boston Children’s Hospital.
“When she does get a kidney transplant, it’s probably going to be out of the blue. It’s probably going to be unplanned. We’re just going to have to get up and leave and go and to pay for lodging, food and gas back and forth,” said Kelly. “…It’s just going to help all around, and definitely take one less stress out of this.”
Last week, Cora began school at Geyser Road Elementary School.
“She completely is a fighter. She’s amazing. Her whole life has constantly been an uphill battle,” said Kelly. “We will figure out one thing and then something new will come along. She has so many different diagnoses. It’s not just her kidneys. It is all she’s known.”
Cora has become an inspiration for her family and for her family’s friends.
“Even when she just falls, she doesn’t even cry. She is so strong. She is unbelievable,” said Kelly. “She bumps into things, falls down and she just gets right up. Nothing bothers her. She’s so good.”