Elite Athlete Program (EAP)

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THE PROGRAM

The Elite Athlete Program (EAP) is an initiative of the National Kidney Foundation designed to provide an opportunity for extraordinary transplant athletes to earn direct financial assistance to compete in the World Transplant Games and represent the United States on the world stage as the best in transplant athletics. The EAP will also raise the standard of health and fitness in all transplant recipients, promote organ and tissue donation awareness, and elevate the National Kidney Foundation's visibility in the media and in the transplant community, both locally and nationally.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

To increase public awareness of the success of transplantation and the National Kidney Foundation's support of the donation of all organs detail
To help Team USA improve performance and excel at the World Transplant Games through the recruitment of elite transplant athletes at the U.S. Transplant Games
To identify exceptional transplant athletes during U.S. Transplant Games competition, and provide financial assistance to those athletes to compete in the World Transplant Games
To stimulate media interest for sports, health, human interest and other stories year-round leading up to the U.S. and World Transplant Games
To enhance the performance, fitness, health, and quality of life of transplant recipients/athletes

Transplant recipients who are part of the National Kidney Foundation’s Elite Athlete Program (EAP) will be guaranteed a position on Team USA 2005. EAP athletes include the Jerry Cound Outstanding Male and Female athletes from the 2004 U.S. Transplant Games-Padraic McCole of Rosemont, Pennsylvania and Melissa Choi Salvador of Portland, Oregon- who will be sponsored by NKF/National. In addition, we are very pleased to announce that for the first time, the following local teams have opted to elect and provide a full or partial sponsorships for their respective Outstanding Male and Female Athletes as part of the local EAP:

Team Connecticut

Team Maine

Team MA/RI/NH/VT

Team Philadelphia

Team Western NY

Team Upper Midwest

Team MO-Kan

Team Illinois

Team Liberty

Team St. Louis

Contact your Team Manager for additional information on your local Elite Athlete Program.