What are the Transplant Games?

Olympics for Unsung Heroes

What are the Transplant Games?

1.      They are athletic games and competitions

2.      The Athletes/competitors are men women and children of all ages and they are all transplant recipients.

3.      This year the games are being held in Calgary between July 16 -21, 2012. 

As a donor family, my husband (Allen) and I attended and volunteered at the National Transplant games in Edmonton in 2006; it was the first time that the games were to come to western Canada.

While attending these games we were treated as heroes for being a donor family.

Before attending these games, as a donor family, we always considered out daughter to be a hero for letting us know that she wanted to be an organ and tissue donor.

Then during the week of the games, recipients and their families started to share their stories with us. It was at this time that we were to witness true living heroes.

As a donor family, we have always been grateful that our daughter’s wishes were fulfilled, but we didn’t see a true impact of what her wish meant, until we attended these games.

At these games, along with being a witness to the gratitude and the zest for life that these athletes and their families shared, we also were witness to the great sadness that they suffered knowing the loss that we have endured and endure. For us, it was heart wrenching, to see those individuals going through this kind of pain and suffering.

During these games, we came to know very brave individuals and families that were showing gratitude and giving thanks and making the best of what life had and has to offer.

Since that time, we now know that some of these individuals are no longer with us and this saddens us, but we are thankful that we were invited to be a part their world. Because  during that time, they strived to be the best that they could be, if only for this one time, just these games and we were proud to have known these (True Champions – True Heroes ) if only for a few days and only for a brief time.

We now know that at these National Transplant Games we have an opportunity to see true heroes, living heroes that have been given a new lease on life because of heroes like our child that wanted to be a donor and help others.

We are fortunate and thankful that, we are a donor family and volunteer members of the Canadian Transplant Association at the National Transplant games

 Be a hero for heroes –be a volunteer at the 2012 Transplant Games in Calgary  

God bless and have a great day.

Maria