19th World Transplant Games

HOPE! 

The one thing every transplant patient needs is hope and nothing says hope more than the World Transplant Games. The games "celebrate the triumph of the human spirit and the hope that is behind every transplant." This year the games are being hosted in Durban, a sun filled city on the coast of South Africa. In the pursuit of gold, silver, and bronze recipients from more than 55 countries come together to compete and share their transplant experiences. The games will host 13 different sports including tennis, track and field, and cycling. And Team Northeast transplant athletes will be there as part of Team USA:  Barbara Breckenridge, Robin Latalle and Tom Jenkins.  Barbara is a kidney transplant recipient, has competed in several games, and has over 25 medals so far. At age 70 there is no slowing her down. Barbara is also the Buffalo Community Relations Director for the Northeast Kidney Foundation. The athletes will be sending updates called "Dispatches from Durbin" and thanks to the Northeast Kidney Foundation I will be sharing them throughout the next week. The games are being held from July 27 to August 4, 2013.

 The official song of this year's games is called "Our Hearts Are Beating;" it's a beautiful song about the joys of organ donation and giving someone a second chance at life. I couldn't help but get choked up every time I listened to it and I think you will be touched by it too. You can download it from their Facebook page called "Raise Your Voice" or from the World Transplant Games website @ www.wtg2013.com . The purpose of the song is to raise awareness for organ donation and transplantation.

Currently there are over 118,000 people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, with 96,928 of them waiting for kidneys, in the United States alone. To see all these recipients come together in South Africa is just one of the positive outcomes of a transplant. It gives hope to all those waiting. This is why raising awareness for organ donation is so important and why it's just one of the missions of the Northeast Kidney Foundation. Remember you can be a Hero, Be an Organ Donor. You can sign up online at Donate Life @ http://donatelife.net/ or when you renew your drivers license. Talk to your family about your wishes and keep the conversation going!! 

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey, I hope you stop back during the next week to see the "Dispatches from Durbin" and follow Team Northeast transplant athletes' adventures. 

Keep on fighting all you Kidney Warriors! 

~Kidney Blogger