National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii

Team Hawaii returns victorious from 2008 U.S. Transplant Games

Team Hawaii participated in their own Olympic-style at the National Kidney Foundation's 2008 U.S. Transplant Games. Hailing from Oahu and the neighbor islands, the athletes garnered four gold medals in racquet ball, singles tennis and doubles tennis and two silvers in freestyle swimming and in the 5K race.

"We are so proud of each and every member of Team Hawaii. Competing in this event shows the kind of determination and courage transplant recipients possess," says Glen Hayashida, National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii, CEO. "We hope The Games can draw attention to the critical need for organ donors in Hawaii and throughout the country, and inspire others to take the first tep towards saving a life."

More than 6,000 athletes from across the country participated in the 2008 U.S. Transplant Games, making it the largest-ever gathering of transplant recipients in the world. Transplant athletes - including kidney, liver, heart, lung, pancreas and bone marrow recipients - competed for medals in 12 sports, including bicycling, bowling, gold, racquet ball, swimming, tennis and track and field events.

Congratulations Team Hawaii, you made us proud!

The National Kidney Foundation's Transplant Athletics program is designed to celebrate the second chance at life given to recipients of life-saving organ transplants, to encourage organ donation and to bring fitness and well-being into the lives of organ recipients. The performance of the athletes is a highly visible demonstration of the success of transplantation.

More than 3,000 American recipients of tissue and organ transplants of all types currently participate in the Transplant Athletics program. Hundreds more from around the globe participate in the World Transplant Games. Team Hawaii has participated in the U.S. Games since 1995.

Before 1982, the term "transplant athletics" may have seemed an oxymoron. It was hard to imagine people with kidney on heart transplants running a 50-meter dash. But the year the first U.S. Transplant Games were held in Texas and began to change the way people thought about transplant recipients.

From that two-day statewide event the Games grew to a regional event with 70 participants, held in Minnesota in 1988. In 1990, the National Kidney Foundation took on the management and organization of the Games at the invitation of Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corporation, the event's co-founder. Held in Indiana that year, the national event drew a record 400 transplant recipients.

Two more Games, in Atlanta in 1994 and in Salt Lake City in 1996, expanded the U.S. Transplant Games to include more than 1,200 athletes on 50 teams, competing in 37 events in 13 sports. Sandoz continues to sponsor the U.S. Summer Transplant Games, and was joined in 1996 by two associate sponsors, the Coca-Cola Company and the National Corvette Clubs. The 2000 and 2002 Games were held at Disney Wide World of Sports, Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

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 competitors face challengers from nearly 40 countries. The 1997 World Summer Games in Sydney, Australia drew more than 3,000 athletes and supporters. The World Games will be held in Budapest in 1999. Members of Team Hawaii have also participated in Team USA at the World Games in Sydney, Australia.

Under the auspices of the World Transplant Games Federation, many countries are holding national competitions to select their best athletes, who often train year-round to qualify for their national team.