Dinner a heartfelt benefit

Friends come together to help pay for young transplant recipient's health care

The food wasn’t supposed to be served until about 5:30 p.m., but people started arriving nearly 30 minutes early Monday evening at Ecumenical Christian Ministries.

They came for Rose Naughtin, a Central Junior High School seventh-grader who is in St. Louis Children’s Hospital recovering from her second heart transplant in eight years.

Within an hour the dining area on the first floor of the building at 1204 Oread Ave. was filled with people eating a vegetarian dinner, browsing items available through a silent auction and listening to the CJHS orchestra.

Money raised from the silent auction and donations to attend the dinner will help Rose and her parents, John and Paula Naughtin, pay for expenses not covered by insurance.

“This is the response I expected,” said Nancy O’Connor, director of education and outreach for Community Mercantile, 901 Iowa. “It’s just beautiful. I think this is why we live in Lawrence.”

Community Mercantile contributed food for the dinner, which raised about $3,500.

Rose suffers from a pulmonary artery problem, said Eileen Larson, a friend of the Naughtin family. Rose underwent the latest transplant operation April 12. Larson traveled with the family on a medical jet to St. Louis when the call came that a donor heart was available.

“Everyone was a little nervous, but she has the most amazing doctors. Her doctors are top-notch,” Larson said.

Michele Longhurst, who helped organize the silent auction, also cuts and styles Rose’s hair.

Natalie Lassman, 11, writes a message to Rose Naughtin, who recently underwent her second heart transplant. About 200 people gathered Monday at Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave., for a fund-raising dinner for Rose, a Lawrence seventh-grader who is in St. Louis recuperating from the surgery.

“This gives me goose bumps” Longhurst said, pointing them out on her forearm as she looked around the room at the growing crowd. “It’s amazing. I have a son, but if I could mail-order a daughter she would be just like Rose.”

Seventh-grader Sara Cortese, who played in the orchestra, said her friend Rose would be grateful but hoped people thought of her in other ways, too.

video 6News video: Friends, family raise funds for transplant recipient

“She didn’t want to be famous just for a heart transplant,” Sara said.

“Dear friends:Thank you so much for coming here.I was so disappointed when I found out that I wasn’t able to come!I bet the food is a lot better than the hospital food!I can’t wait to get back to Lawrence and see everybody!Thanks again so much.Love, Rose.”— A note from Rose Naughtin, 12, recipient of a second heart transplant, to more than 200 people who attended a benefit in her honor Monday.