Team Paitn~
Trying to reduce a little girl’s miraculous adventure into a few hundred words seems impossible, but we will try. Paitn Marie Verrill, born May 27, 2007, was diagnosed on January 30, 2008, with a condition known as Dilated Cardiomyopathy—enlargement of the heart. 
With a heart transplant her only hope for a “Happily Ever After,” our family faced a mountain of emotional, financial and physical challenges. Now, with so much support, love, and prayer from family, friends, and worldwide “Paitn fans”, we are on our way to a happy ending.
Through this long and overwhelming journey, we have had family and friends give us emotional and financial support. We wish to thank every individual who has held our family in their hearts over the past few months. All of you waited for a solution, clasped your hands in prayer, cried, shook in fear, and, in the end, wept tears of joy. Now, Paitn can come home after being given a second chance at life. This chance is due to the most generous gift of all…a gift from total stranger…the gift of organ donation.
Paitn just celebrated her first birthday and she has not missed a beat. She stands, dances, ‘shakes her booty’, claps her hands in excitement, waves, and screams in angst when she wants something to eat. To simplify things… she is “normal.”
We have cleared one hurdle, but we will face many more. Did you know that most heart transplants only last 10 to 20 years? Paitn’s journey is far from over. Our family is working with a great organization, the Children’s Organ Transplant Association, (COTA), a national charity based in Bloomington, Indiana.
COTA is dedicated to organizing and guiding communities in raising funds for transplant-needy patients. COTA’s services are completely free of charge and 100% of funds generated by COTA fundraising campaigns are available for transplant-related expenses. COTA has provided us with a website, www.cotaforpaitnv.com, where you can follow Paitn’s progress and read more about her journey. To find out more about COTA visit www.cota.org or call 1-800-366-2682.
Thank you for all you have done and for helping Paitn have a future. We thank you - from the bottom of Paitn’s perfect new heart.
Ashley Hathaway and James Verrill
Gardiner, Maine
Email: ahathaway@COTAforPaitnV.com