Its time to be heard

Well, its down to the wire.  Your voice needs to be heard.  Now. The deadline is today.

If you have been watching the renal landscape this summer, you know there has been an incredible political firestorm over the most recent proposed changes to the provision of dialysis care.  And if you haven't been watching - trust me, its been an education.  But with all that has been said and done, the important thing now is for YOU to weigh in and be heard.  I promise you that many groups who have a stake in this have spent a lot of time and resources crafting their comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) on the proposed rule. 

But tell me - who has more at stake than you ?  You know how much has changed in the last few years. Your voice is needed to make things better. This is about your life and your health, and that of your fellow, as well as future, patients.  Its that critical. 

You don't need to be a public policy expert and it doesn't even have to take a lot of time.  Its about sharing your experience as a kidney patient, family member or person who serves the renal community with the people who need to hear from you at CMS.  Here's what you need to know:

First, the direct link for filing your comments is here: Comment address

Second, start your remarks with this reference: CMS-1526-P  This tells CMS that you are talking about the proposal regarding dialysis care.

Next, there are three basic areas of concern:

Home

CMS specifically asked for comments related to home and self dialysis, because they would like to see more availability of these options and more people have access to them.  Home hemodialysis especially is the only form of treatment that has outcomes equal to transplant. But they haven't done a good job yet at figuring out how to support more centers offering these choices, partly because of the time it takes for the training, and how to pay for that. Here is what they said: " We request comments on the elements of PD vs. HHD training sessions, specifically the costs of furnishing such training, the appropriate number of training sessions, and the duration of the training sessions." 

If you have - or maybe especially if you haven't had - access to these treatments, this is the issue.  We need to ask CMS to dedicate resources to appropriately provide the needed reimbursement, an investment which in the long run results in better overall health and less hospitalization; that reduces cost.   Right now they reimburse for one hour of nurse's time - that is not enough.  Please ask CMS to adjust this to properly provide support for the increased availability of this treatment by answering their request.  

Quality

The next thing they propose is a set of measures to determine how good and safe care is for dialysis patients.  Here is the list of things they think is important.  One is a set of clinical measures; basically lab values:

o Hemoglobin Greater Than 12 g/dL

o Patient-Informed Consent for Anemia Treatment

     o Dialysis Adequacy measures:

      Kt/V measure for adult hemodialysis patients

      Kt/V measure for adult peritoneal dialysis patients

           Kt/V measure for pediatric hemodialysis patients

     o An arterial venous fistula measure

o A catheter measure

o Hypercalcemia  or high calcium levels

o Bloodstream Infection in hemodialysis

Then a set of measures just to be reported

o Anemia Management

o Pediatric Iron Therapy

o Mineral Metabolism

     o ICH CAHPS Patient Satisfaction Survey
      
     o Comorbidity

Here is what you need to consider: what is important in your care? Are they measuring the things that are important to patients and that make a difference in our health and our lives ?  Are you more than a set of lab values, and do those even begin to reflect your health and well being?  One glaring omission is a measure for a lower limit of hemoglobin - and without that, in the last few years, the average hemoglobin has gotten lower and lower, and people have needed more transfusions. That is not good for anyone who would like to be eligible for a transplant, and needs to change.  So ask them to do that - and to focus on good patient  care, safety and what will make a difference in your quality of health and life.  This is vital - these measures are important to be in place to help drive ever improving care - its the only thing that has helped make things better for patients.  That is what they are for - so how can they best do this ?  Centers that don't meet the measures are penalized, so they will work hard to meet them, as long as there aren't too many measures, which would dilute the effectiveness of any of the measures individually. Tell CMS what measures would be important to you.

Cost and Payment

And lastly, there is the payment reduction.  CMS has heard a LOT about this all summer, and believe me, they will hear a lot more in the comments.  But consider this - all dialysis is not created equal in terms of reimbursement.  We want access to safe, good quality, cost effective care that allows us to live our lives.  That comes at a price.  But what we can ask CMS for is to protect the most vulnerable patients.  Remember  that small, rural or independent facilities or those that serve a greater percentage of non-private insurance patients (those of us on Medicare and Medicaid - which is 85% of all dialysis patients) have a tougher time covering costs.  We want the reimbursement to fairly cover treatment for patients without creating a great big profit source for anyone - when lives and health are at stake, and the money is from Medicare, doesn't that seem wrong ?   Tell CMS that you understand that.  Ask them to continue their dedication to the Medicare benefit that allows about a half million Americans access to the care we need for kidney failure.

Again, remember, you don't have to comment on everything.  Talk about what is most important to you, in a way that is meaningful.  And if you would like more info, please go to the following links: 

Summary of CMS Proposed Rule for Changes to the Prospective Payment System and Summary of CMS Proposed Rule for Changes to the Quality Incentive Program

A last reminder - some words of advice from Dr. Suess and the Lorax, a book about making important change in the interest of the greater good:

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,  Nothing is going to get better. It's not.” 
 

Please make a difference.  Share your voice today.

A Second chance at a "Normal Life"

By Robin Lataille 

~  Kidney Transplant Recipient and Guest Blogger ~

     What is "Normal" to you?  For many years "normal" for me meant working during the day, then going home and getting hooked up to a machine for dialysis every night. Out of nowhere, I got very sick in 2001 and learned that I had polycystic kidney disease or (PKD). I began peritoneal dialysis at home. This system worked well for me for 7 and 1/2 years.

    Then for several months in early 2009, I began having trouble with fluid building up. Despite regular doctor's appointments, this build up remained unresolved until July when I spent a week at UMASS Memorial  hospital with congestive heart failure or (CHF). During this hospitalization, I was told my heart was functioning at only at 35 percent and I needed to go back on the transplant list to regain my quality of life. I had been offered a kidney in 2005 but was too scared and feeling too good and turned the offer down. I became deactivated on the transplant list but I did not lose my spot. For 6 months from July until I got the "call" I had to do hemodialysis for 4 hours 3 times a week . I still remained full time at work and I knew at this point I was getting sicker and that I needed to go back active on the waiting list.

     In January of 2010 I got the call I had been waiting for; with the kindness of a woman's husbands wishes, I received a new kidney. It was on Jan 3rd. and I feel this was a great miracle from God from the start. My birthday is March 1st and my transplant came on Jan 3rd. I say the numbers 3-1 and 1-3 are my lucky numbers. This new kidney means a new lease on life. I believe in living life to the fullest each and every day. This greatest gift of life has allowed me to rejoin my friends and family in many events.

Now, my "normal" is going to concerts that my niece and nephews are in, attending their ball games and so much  more. More importantly, my "normal" is thanking God, and my donor and his family, and my many supporters for this new life.

In addition, this great gift of life has enabled me to give back through my local New England Organ Bank by sharing my story to driver's ed classes, blood drives, and health fairs. I also am able to honor my donor by taking part in the transplant games each year. I have competed in two United States Games and two World Transplant Games. These were both inspiring and emotional at the same time. You do not have to be athletic to take part either. There are many events for ages 6 to 80 years old. If you think you cannot afford to go, you can do it by fundraising.  That's how I got there. I am here to help anyone that may have questions about any part of my journey. Remember you are not in this alone, and please reach out to the ones that are willing to help. I move forward each day honoring my donor  and his family with multitude of gratitude for this new life. Without them, none of this would be possible today!

Please enjoy some photo's of my time in South Africa during the 2013 World Transplant Games.

*With Scruffy Samuel*

I want to thank the Northeast Kidney Foundation and Kidney blogger for giving me this opportunity to share my journey with you.

~ Robin Lataille

Being grateful...

The last three weeks have been some of the toughest of my life. The sudden loss of my father has my world turned upside down. One thing I am grateful for is the ability to reach out to all the blog readers and share my story. It has meant so much to me to share my knowledge and experience living with Chronic Kidney Disease. And has really helped me to keep focused and stay positive. I will get back to the discussion about dialysis in next Tuesday's post but today I wanted to share a little about being grateful. In a time of great loss it's extremely difficult think about being grateful but I can't think of a better time. I find living life with gratitude leads to less stress, closer relationships and a greater sense of well~being. Being grateful can also have direct affect on your overall health. It can help lower heart rate, can help boost the immune system, and can even help you get a better nights sleep. 

Here's what I am grateful for:

I am grateful for all the years I got to spend with my father. I am grateful for everything he taught me about life. I am grateful for his love and support over the years. I am grateful for all the memories I have of him. I am also grateful he taught me how to be strong. 

When it comes to my health I'm grateful to live in an area where I have the ability to chose how I want to do dialysis. I am grateful to have the ability to do it the comfort of my own home. I am grateful to have my husband as my care partner. I am grateful to have organizations like The Northeast Kidney Foundation who I know are advocates for me. 

And finally, I am grateful for everyone who has been there for me through this great loss. I want to say "Thank You" I am truly Grateful. I hope you join me on Tuesday when I  will get back to the discussion on dialysis where we will be talking about Peritoneal dialysis. And tomorrow instead of Friday I will have a guest blogger Robin from "Team Northeast Athletes" who will be talking about her journey with chronic kidney disease.

Thanks again for following the blog,. I look forward to all your questions, comments, and concerns.

Keep on fighting you Kidney Warriors! 

~Kidney Blogger

"The Games were both inspiring and emotional"

Meet Scruffy Samuel he has quite the amazing story. Scruffy serves as a mascot and travels the world to help promote organ donation. Scruffy represents his donor family who gave the ultimate gift, the gift of life. And he recently traveled all the way to South Africa with Robin Lataille, who is part of "Team Northeast Athletes" to cheer her on in her second World Transplant Games. On Friday I had the opportunity to interview Robin and have a heart to heart conversation with her about her journey from "dialysis to the Games". Robin connected with the Northeast Kidney Foundation and joined Team Northeast Athletes in late 2011. She was looking for a new team to join to attend the 2012 U.S. Transplant Games in Grand Rapids, MI. As that year, there was no team being put together for from her state. She remarked how welcoming and friendly everyone from Northeast Kidney was when she joined their team. They were really excited to get a team member from the New England area.

"It was both inspiring and emotional at the same time, seeing all the donor families; knowing we are there to honor the memory of their loved ones." That was the first impression Robin gave me of being at the World Transplant Games.

**Robin and Team USA with Scruffy Samuel cheering them on**

I also asked Robin a series of questions:

Q. How long where you on dialysis?  8 years total, with 71/2 on Peritoneal dialysis and 6 mos. on hemodialysis. 

Q. Where did your transplant come from? Was it a living or deceased donor? Deceased donor.

Q. Does your transplant restrict any activities while completing? No restrictions at all. 

Q. Have you had any complications since your transplant? None at all, its been wonderful and has completely changed my life. 

Q. How many games have you participated in? In 2 Worlds Games and 2 U.S./State games.

Q. What's your favorite sport to compete in? Swimming, I have been a swimmer my entire life.

Q. How did it feel to represent the USA at the World games? It was an honor, one that I hope to continue as time goes on. 

Q. How did it feel to stand on the podium when you won? It was amazing to win just for doing something I love. And each win is a testament to the person that gave me this chance~ my donor! 

Q. How many medals did you bring home? This time, only one, but its really not about the medals to me, its about proving that organ donation is truly the gift that keeps on giving.

Q. Do you think you will compete again? I plan on competing for as long as I can, Next year I'll be in Houston, TX. 

And my final question was:

Q Other then being in the games what was your most interesting adventure in South Africa?

We went on a mini safari and saw over 30 different animals. The country was breathtaking. The best thing about South Africa was how inviting and warm the people where. They just loved having us there, from the staff at the games to the hotel, they made us feel so welcomed. 

I hope you have enjoyed this wrap up and personal perspective of the World Transplant Games. Each and every kidney patient has their own unique journey and I'm honored Robin would share hers with us. From "dialysis to the Games' is such an inspirational story and I want to thank Robin again for the interview.  Its only 328 days to the Transplant Games of America and we wish Robin the best of luck competing in those games. For more information on the 2014 U.S. Transplant Games please visit  http://www.transplantgamesofamerica.org/ And the 20th World Transplant Games will in be 2015 in Argentina and you can find more information on them at http://www.wtgf.org/

Thank you for joining me once again on this journey, I look forward to your questions, comments or concerns.

Keep on fighting Kidney Warriors!

~Kidney Blogger

Dialysis 103

Although its been really tough for the last few weeks for me personally, working on the blog has been a wonderful distraction. Thank you for joining me once again and I hope you're finding the information on dialysis to be useful. And as always please feel free to leave me any questions, comments, or concerns on this topic. Before we get into home hemodialysis, I want to talk to you about how vital your dialysis access is to your dialysis treatments. Regardless of what type of hemodialysis you do, your access is your lifeline and should be treated as such. Whether you have an AV fistula, graft or a catheter, it's vital that you learn how to care for it. Without an access you will not be able to receive dialysis treatments. So remember your access is the first decision will make on this dialysis journey so educate yourself well so you can make the best decision for yourself. 

Welcome to the world of home hemodialysis, there are so many choices and even more benefits of doing dialysis at home. I am a huge advocate of  home dialysis and can honestly say it has changed my journey with chronic kidney disease. There are many different methods of doing home dialysis including: short daily treatments, traditional treatments, extended treatments and nocturnal treatments.

Short daily treatments:

This method involves doing five to six treatments a week for an average of two to three hours each treatment. This is the method my nephrologist chose for me because it is done over consecutive days with short, gentle treatments and has allowed for a more liberal diet and fluid restrictions. This method has helped me keep my phosphorus and potassium under control. 

Traditional treatments:

This method involves doing three treatments a week for an average of three to four hours each treatment. This is much like doing in~center treatments without leaving home and going to a center. 

Extended treatments:

This method also involves five to six treatments a week but for an average of three to five hours each treatment. This method allows for a more liberal diet and fluid restrictions. It is also a more gentle cleansing of the blood. 

Nocturnal treatments:

This method involves four to six treatments a week or an every other day schedule with six to eight hour treatments while a patient sleeps. This method cleans the blood at a very slow rate and has shown to help improve energy levels and appetite. It is also the least restrictive on diet and fluids.

Most home hemodialysis methods do require a care partner. Someone who is dedicated and who is willing to be trained. I have been so lucky to have my husband as my care partner. He and I were trained on the NxStage System One and have been doing it together for the last 2 and 1/2 years. Our training was about 4 weeks and was done right at our local dialysis clinic.

As you can see there so many choices when it comes to home hemodialysis. It will be up to you and your doctor to decide which method is the best for you. The pros of doing home hemodialysis are: dailyzing in the comfort of your own home, taking charge of your health, the ability to travel with many of the portable dialysis machines available, and the ability to set your own schedule. It gives your dialysis life freedom like no other. A few drawbacks to home hemodialysis are that most require that you have a care partner to help with treatments, you will need ample space to store the dialysis supplies, and its requires training for both you and your care partner.

The other advantage to home hemo is all the advancements to the home dialysis machines. They are smaller, more user friendly, and ready to travel. I can't say enough good things about the NxStage System One machine that I use. It has traveled multiple times out to Cape Cod and back without incident. If you would like more information about NxStage Medical Inc. please visit them at  http://www.nxstage.com/. 

*NxStage System One Cycler*

I hope this has given you a good understanding of the home hemodialysis options available. Like in~center dialysis home dialysis has its pros and cons. Choosing to do my treatments at home has changed my dialysis life, I feel better and feel like I have more control over a disease that can leave you feeling helpless. Take charge! I hope this inspires you to talk to your nephrologist about your options!

Thank you for joining once again on this journey, please feel free to leave any questions, comments, or concerns.

Keep on fight Kidney Warriors!

~Kidney Blogger

Calling All Kidney Cooks

I wanted to remind everyone that the deadline for the Northeast Kidneys "Calling all KidneyCooks" contest is coming up on August 15, 2013. So get those kidney friendly recipes together and get them over to the Northeast Kidney Foundation. You can either email them to Kathe @ kathe@healthykidneys.org or mail them to Northeast Kidney Foundation at 501 New Karner Road Suite 6 Albany NY 12205 attention Kathe.

I'm looking forward to trying all these new recipes and will post the winners when they are announced after the Labor Day Weekend. Good luck to all the entries.

Have a good Saturday and keep on cooking you Kidney Warriors! 

~Kidney Blogger

Dialysis 102

It's good to be back, my fellow Kidney Warriors; the last week has been by turns emotional, draining, painful and inspiring. A sudden loss turned my world inside out. My father was suddenly ripped from my life and in a blink of an eye he was gone. I was moved to see the amount of people who came to honor the life of my dad. I can only hope that one day I will have touched as many people as he did. Maybe through this blog I can do that; its the main reason for doing this - so I can share my experiences living with CKD and help to improve the lives of others going through it. These last few days especially, I can't help but think about my own mortality and everything that's on the line living on dialysis.

Last week we started talking about dialysis and I would like to continue. For a review on the basics of kidney functions and dialysis, please revisit the blog entry "Kidneys and dialysis 101."

In~center hemodialysis is the traditional form of dialysis. Dialysis is a therapy that filters waste, removes extra fluid, and balances electrolytes to take place of the patients own functioning native kidneys. On average a persons has 10 to 12 pints of blood in their body and during dialysis only about one pint is outside the body at one time. Some type of access is required to perform hemodialysis treatments and it is usually done in advance of starting dialysis. The most recommended access is called an AV Fistula. This requires surgery in which a vein and artery are connected. This becomes a natural part of the body and usually is given months to develop before it is used. A fistula can last of a very long and time and has the least risk of infection. It also has lower risk of clotting and allows for better blood flow during treatment and lends itself to better dialysis treatments.

 The next access is called an AV graft. Placing a graft also involves a surgical procedure, during which an vein is connected to an artery with a piece of soft plastic. A graft also takes a certain amount of time to heal before use, but does not need to develop like a AV Fistula. The downside to a graft is it need more attention and upkeep. The last access type is called an Catheter and is not  usually recommended long term for dialysis treatments. A Catheter is created by inserting tube into a larger vein in either the neck or chest. A cuff is inserted under the skin to hold it in place. It has a high risk of infection and may not last as long an AV Fistula or graft. Because I have bad veins my only option has been to have a catheter. I have had mine for the last 2 and half years and I'm doing quite well with it. The important thing with having a catheter is to practice good aseptic technique which means have good hand washing skills, wearing masks when necessary, and keeping my supplies clean and dry. This has kept my catheter running well and it therefore keeps affording me good dialysis treatments.

The typical in~center hemodialysis patients has dialysis three days a week,  usually 3-4 hour treatments. This schedule is set by your doctor and may be longer or shorter based on your individual needs. The biggest benefit to doing treatment in~center is your treatments are always done by trained professionals who are there to assist you with any issue you may have during treatment. The down side of doing in~center is you need to travel three days a week to the center and there are more diet and fluid restrictions. Remember functioning kidneys work 24 hours a day - 365 days a year so a typical in~center schedule is only 9-12 hours a week. More patients report feeling "washed out" and have less energy doing in~center treatments. 

I hope this gives you a good idea about in~center hemodialsis treatments as you can see it has both it pro and cons. Next time we'll talk about different kinds of home hemodialysis, which is what I have been doing for the last 2 and 1/2  years. I hope you come back for our next installment on dialysis. Also remember whether you just want more information on dialysis or to locate a dialysis center please go to http://www.healthykidneys.org/

Thank you for joining me once again on this journey, please feel free to leave comments, questions or concerns. 

Keep on fighting  Kidney Warriors! 

~Kidney Blogger

Living Life and Affirming Its Joy

 A posting today from Kathe ...

 

I went to the funeral of a dear friend on Tuesday – a fellow kidney patient that I thought the world of, a good man and truly a force of nature, who the last year or so lived largely by sheer will and determination.  In all the time I knew him, he relished life fully every single minute. It’s made me think about how we live this life we have; reminded me of some words of advice from an unlikely source on this subject: Pope Paul VI.

Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows.

The irony is that we DO know.  But we often go forward with the sense of having unlimited time, pretending, fooling ourselves, like we can somehow out maneuver our own mortality.

And yet, that is the gift of chronic illness that we don’t always think of as a gift; we have a keen awareness of this mortality of ours.  In fact, it is the very understanding of the finiteness of our lives that can help us make every day count.  We have the opportunity of really living life because we understand how precious it is, and we know enough not to waste any time.

So this is to affirm the pleasures of life, from the perspective of remembering how fleeting they can be, and given however much time any of us has.  Truth is - none of us really knows.  And there are lessons to be learned about living fully, with joy and making lasting memories, mindful of the numbering of our days.  Even with health considerations, we can make time for the things that are important and the things we really love.  If you have ever heard Randy Pausch’s "Last Lecture," you understand about living life every minute.  He said: "The key question to keep asking is: Are you spending your time on the right things? Because time is all you have ... and you may find one day that  you have less than you think."

Taking a spin on the recent book written by a palliative care nurse focused on regrets expressed by those who were terminally ill, it’s important to remember that there is never a need for regret. We can use past experiences to understand what changes we would like to make moving forward, to simply choose to do things in a different way, starting today. We can be at peace with the past and remember that each moment is a new choice.  And we can choose to live life fully and with joy.  Some of things I’ve learned to keep in mind from my kidney friends, among others:

Live the life you want, not the life others expect

Honor your dreams and try to find ways to experience and achieve the things that are important to you.  You’ll be surprised at what you can do each and every day, but you won’t know until you try.

Being able to have productive work is good; but don’t make that the be all, end all.

It’s certainly necessary to earn a living and having work you enjoy that you feel contributes, is positive and enriches your life.  But keep your priorities straight, and don’t spend too much of your life on the treadmill of a work existence.

Have the courage to express your feelings.

Suppressing feelings in order to keep peace with others takes a toll. Being honest and saying what you need to allows you to be true to yourself.

Stay in touch with your friends.

Give friendships the time and effort that they deserve. The comfort that comes from common experiences and shared history is increasingly important as you go through life, and continuing to enjoy connections with friends is one of life’s great delights, and a great source of support through those tougher times.

Let yourself be happier.
 

Most people don’t realize that happiness is a choice. It allows us to each be fully who we are, to revel in our individuality, celebrate our quirks and foibles, laugh properly and have silliness in our lives again.  As they say, if you want to be happy, be.

This is a tribute to all those who have touched my life sharing this journey; those I still can spend time with, and especially here, those whose memories I celebrate every day.  I miss them ongoingly, and so wish they'd had more time. But I continue to live my life joyfully as they did theirs, mindful of these things I've learned from them.  So here’s to Lee ...  and to Ed, to Ron, Jerry, Jim, Ralph, Shawn, Carol, and Sherai – and so many others.  And to their loved ones still here - and mine - supportive, understanding and standing by - showing each of them and me, how love really is a verb. 

Finally, here’s to all the people in each of your lives, the ones here and those no longer with us; so long as we remember them, they will continue to remain with us.  And by their examples, they can help us live our best lives for the time we are here.

Please take care and stay well ...   enjoy your days ...

Dispatches from Durban #4 - The Games

Our Team Northeast athletes, who have been in Durban, South Africa this past week competing as part of TEAM USA in the World Transplant Games, are heading home this weekend after an exciting and emotional week.  We are still waiting on all the final results, but they did amazingly well in their individual sports: among others, Tom Jenkin took gold in the cycling road race, Barbara Breckenridge earned the bronze in women's team road race and they both won gold in the opening day 5K road race.  And here is Robin Lataille with her team co-captain, winning the bronze in women's swimming - the 100M Backstroke.

 

Results are available at the following link, and you can see how many athletes, representing 55 countries and ages from 6 to well into their 80s are competing – and winning! http://www.wtg2013.com/results.htm

But of course its about so much more than just the medals.  The Games celebrate the triumph of the human spirit and the hope that is behind every transplant.

A multi-sport festival event for athletes who have undergone life-­saving transplant surgeries and those who are living donors, the Transplant Games competition is open to anyone who has given or received a solid organ transplant, tissue or bone marrow donation. More than just an athletic event, the Transplant Games highlight the critical importance of organ and tissue donation, while celebrating the lives of organ donors and recipients. Transplant athletes can compete in alternate years in the Transplant Games of America, last in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2012 and then the World Transplant Games such as those in Durban South Africa this summer.  There are also Winter World Games, last held in 2012 in Anzère, Switzerland.

The Games such as those in Durban, South Africa host 13 different sports, including a 5K run, badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, golf, racquetball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, and track and field.  Here is a link to a gallery of more pictures from the week

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=635093799836079&set=a.635093609836098.1073741830.186223188056478&type=3&theater  

The Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the Games are very emotional, from the Parade of Teams with all the competitors through the tributes to those living with and waiting for life saving transplants, and the celebrations of living donors and donor families.  There is rarely a dry eye in the house when these ceremonies are over; everyone is united in showing the difference a gift of life can make.

You can get a bit of a sense of this in the Games from this interview with Gary Green, who is the TEAM USA manager in Durban.

World Transplant Games Interview

What is ahead ?  Well, transplant recipients, living donors and donor families in the US will already be gearing up for the 2014 Transplant Games of America (TGA) that will be held in Houston TX, set to take place July 10-15, 2014.  And the World Transplant Games Federation have already announced that Argentina won the bid to host the 2015 World Transplant Games in Mar del Plata, with next year's Winter Games to be held in La Chapelle-d'Abondance, France.

 

 

Are you someone who has received a transplant or is waiting for one?  Or maybe you are a living donor to a loved one or someone touched by organ donation as a family member?  Doesn't this sound like a life affirming opportunity to celebrate the gift of that organ donation is?  I know I'm looking forward to being able to be part of the next Games - how about you?   
 

Take care and be well...

Dispatches from Durban #3 ~ Images of the Games~

I hope your enjoying all the images of the games and we will have  a special blog entry to hear all about Team Northeast Athletes' experiences. Thanks to Northeast Kidney and Kathe LeBeau for sharing all the games updates and she will be a guest blogger to share their experiences with you all. 

Keep on fighting all you Kidney Warriors! 

~Kidney Blogger