Mackenzie Cotten is a vibrant 16 year old sophomore at Sidney High School who is living life to her fullest. She loves music, singing and going to concerts, shopping, playing sports such as tennis, bowling and color guard. She spends as much time with her friends and family as she can. She is such a happy teenager who cares deeply about everyone she knows and offers help whenever she can.

She was born prematurely at 26 weeks, weighing only 1 lb 6oz, and has defied all the doctors she has ever come In contact with, but has done so with many struggles.

Mackenzie has degenerative hearing loss since birth . This has altered her speech and given her some difficulties with balance. She has worn hearing aids in both ears since she was 5 years old, and received a cochlear implant on her right side when she was 15.

Recent audiology visits have concluded that her hearing in her left ear is getting much worse and she will need another cochlear implant which, without wearing any device, will leave her completely deaf . So she will have to have another surgery and relearn how to hear with the new device all while trying to be a teenager in high school.

Additionally…
Mackenzie’s Uncle Troy passed away early 2016 resulting in her mom taking custody of his daughter Piper. She is Mackenzie’s 6 year old cousin. Mackenzie’s mom Heather, is a single mom now taking care of 2 children, and in August of 2016, Heather had a massive heart attack. She was out of work for nearly 6 months. She came back to work January of 2017. And with a weakened immune system, she came down with pneumonia in September, again out of work for a month. Mackenzie has been the trooper for her mom helping her get better, while her hearing is getting worse and worse.