National Kidney Foundation U.S. Transplant Games ®

Thirty years ago, the idea of kidney or heart transplant recipients running a 50-meter-dash or swimming the butterfly stroke across a 25-meter pool was unthinkable. Even today, such a feat seems like a miracle.

But in 1982, a group of brave and determined transplant athlete pioneers gathered in Texas for the first regional U.S. Transplant Games and began changing the way people thought about transplant patients. The two-day athletic competition for transplant recipients served to dramatically demonstrate the life-restoring success of transplantation.

Though small in scope, the Texas Games paved the way for future events. The next regional U.S. Transplant Games were held in Minnesota in 1988, with 70 participants hailing primarily from the Midwest.

In 1990, the National Kidney Foundation took on the management and organization of the U.S. Transplant Games, along with the event's co-founder Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corporation, now Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. Held in Indianapolis that year, the first-ever national event drew a record 400 transplant athletes from all over the country.

In addition to the rehabilitative benefits of this athletic competition, the U.S. Transplant Games provided a unique opportunity for transplant recipients to gather and share experiences, kindle friendships and celebrate their "ultimate second chance" at life while paying tribute to those who make it all possible—the donor families.

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) continues to organize this biennial Olympic-style event, which now includes 13 different sports competitions, and special programming for donor families and living donors. The sporting events are not limited to transplant recipients, as living donors will now be able to participate in the track and field events. The Games have been held in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Columbus, Orlando, Louisville and Pittsburgh, growing significantly each time. In July 2008, a record-breaking gathering of 7,000 people, 1,350 of whom were transplant athletes from all 50 states converged in Pittsburgh, PA, for the National Kidney Foundation 2008 U.S. Transplant Games. More than 1,500 athletes are expected for the 2010 U.S. Transplant Games to be held in Madison, Wisconsin.

In addition to planning national competitions, the National Kidney Foundation is also helping American transplant athletes make their mark on the international transplant athletics scene. The Foundation manages Team USA's delegation to the Summer and Winter World Transplant Games, where athletes compete against transplant recipients representing countries throughout the world.

The purposes of the Games are:

• To demonstrate to the public the collective and individual successes of the life-restoring therapy of organ transplantation.
• To utilize the media to promote the success of organ donation and transplantation.
• To call attention to the need for organ donation through evens and support activity before, during and after the event.
• To contribute to the successful rehabilitation of the nation’s transplant patient community.
• To involve the entire transplant community including physicians, allied professionals, patients, donor families, living donors and related organizations in a collaborative effort for the benefit of organ donation.
• To provide an opportunity for these goals to be achieved locally by NKF Divisions and Affiliates and other participating organizations.