Pasta dinner to be held for toddler heart transplant patient
A Peters Township church will host a pasta dinner next Sunday in honor of a 2-year-old who recently received a new heart.
The event will take place on Oct. 2 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at St. Benedict the Abbot Church in Peters Township, and will go toward a Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) fundraiser for Jude Sedor-Franzak, who received a new heart on July 18.
It was a moment the whole family was present for, according to Tom Franzak, who is Jude’s grandfather. When T.J. and Jessica Sedor-Franzak, Jude’s parents, called with the news that a heart was available, the rest of the family left a camping trip and headed to Cleveland Clinic.
“It just couldn’t have been more perfect. (Jude’s parents), of course, were very nervous about all this, and it was good to be able to be there to reassure them and sit with them. It worked out perfectly,” Franzak, of Bethel Park, said.
Jude was born six weeks premature with a small hole in his heart. As he got older, the issue worsened. The Sedor-Franzak family had been waiting for a new heart for Jude since February.
After surgery, Jude still had to go through recovery in rehab. It has not always been an easy process, and Jude still requires a feeding tube, as he has to relearn some basic functions.
“He had to learn how to walk again. He has been learning how to eat. He has been fed by tube for most of that time. His stomach, and the idea of swallowing food at all, it’s taking a while to come back to him,” Franzak said.
Franzak just helped Jude and his parents move back to their home in Hubbard, Ohio, this week. Franzak said that once Jude returned home, he was back to being a rambunctious toddler.
“He was glad to be home to see his toys. He was all over the place (Tuesday),” Franzak said. “He wasted no time getting to his toy box and finding his favorite trucks.”
As he and his other children have done for other fundraisers for Jude, they will perform music while dinner is served. The theme of the night will be ’60s pop music, according to Franzak.
Franzak is the director of musical ministries for the church, and being able to connect with his family through music has been a bright spot in a difficult situation.
“That’s the most fun thing, to be able to perform with your kids,” Franzak said. “That has been the only silver lining, seeing a lot more of my children and being able to sing and play with them.”
Those interested in attending can register for the dinner at https://cota.org/campaigns/COTAforJudesFight/events. Tickets are $20 per person.