Team TGA Wisconsin |
History of US National Transplant Games
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Over 30 years ago, in the early days of human solid
organ transplants, the general public had the perception that transplant
recipients were frail and sickly, with little chance to be as healthy as a “normal”
person. Being healthy enough to participate in competitive sports was not the
profile of the early pioneers of the transplant process. Even today, with over
528,000 transplants recorded by the Organ
Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), it still seems incredible--even to transplant recipients!
The first US National Games in 1982, were locally organized and underfunded. Attendance was mostly from the region where the Games were held. The National Kidney Foundation, with approximately 80% of the waiting list population needing a kidney transplant took over the management and organization of the Games in 1990 and commercial sponsors, notably what is now known as the Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation provided funding. These organizations christened the Games as the “NKF U.S. Transplant Games®”. These US National Games have continued on a biennial basis to show the nation and the world a different perspective of transplant recipients, one that clearly shows the benefits of transplantation through the restoration of healthy lifestyles. To the Games participants, the US National Games provide a place to gather, kindle and renew friendships, demonstrate their abilities/skills (or sometimes the lack there-of!) and celebrate the donors who make it all possible. The key to the event has always been participation, not winning. |
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Notable Milestones
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Attendance Statistics
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