World Transplant Games 2013

 

The World Transplant Games Federation has been staging the summer games every two years to raise awareness of the need to increase organ donations and celebrate the success of organ transplant surgery.

 

More than 2,500 athletes from 69 countries will be attending the games to take part in such diverse sports disciplines as cycling, tennis, swimming, athletics, badminton, bowls, and squash to name just a few. To qualify for entry to the games, an athlete must have had one of the following transplants: heart, liver, kidney, lung or bone marrow. A lot of people may think that transplantees would be fragile and unsporting, but this is not the case at all, they are, in fact, high-class athletes at the top of their sports.

 

Here is a quote about the cycling events by Richard Smith, coach of the GB Transplant Cycling Team. Richard is a transplantee himself and in 2011 he achieved his ambition to hold all six available transplant titles at the same time by winning the British, European, and World Transplant Games events in both the road race and time trial disciplines.

 

“You need to be quick on a bike – properly quick, not ‘ill quick’ not ‘ahhh isn’t she doing well, how brave’ quick, but properly fast. Otherwise you’ll get smashed by anyone from one of the 60-plus nations that attend the games.”

 

That gives you an idea of how competitive these athletes are and how good these games will be.
So if you are in the Durban area, have a look at the games' official website to see the events calendar and locations, and come along and support the games and show these athletes how generous South African hospitality can be.

 

And remember to think about becoming an organ donor yourself because each donor can save up to another seven people’s lives.

 

For more information on this inspiring event, visit the official site - www.wtg2013.com or go to the SA Organ Donation website www.odf.org.za