History of Team Philadelphia
Since the first event in 1982, Team Philadelphia has had a strong presence at the Transplant Games, an Olympic-style athletic competition for those who have received organ transplants.
Video
Team Philadelphia 2010
SlideshowFlash and javascript Required
It looks like you don't have flash player installed. Click here to go to Macromedia download page.
In 1982, Gift of Life Donor Program, which at the time was known as Delaware Valley Transplant Program, organized and sent a team made up of 25 transplant recipients to Athens, Greece to compete in the World Transplant Games. This first Team Philadelphia effort resulted in one of the largest teams at the World competition, attracted both regional and national medial attention, and developed a great tradition within the region of eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware.
When the National Kidney Foundation announced the organization of the U.S. Transplant Games in 1990 in Indianapolis, Gift of Life and the National Kidney Foundation of Delaware Valley joined forces as the organizers of 1990 Team Philadelphia.
From July to October 1990, transplant recipients were recruited from the region to join the team, which brought together 45 heart, kidney, liver and heart/lung recipients ranging in ages from 8 to 65. This was the largest single effort of any team in the nation at the time. Members of Team Philadelphia '90 competed in track and field, swimming, tennis, cycling, table tennis and other events and won 46 gold, silver and bronze medals.
Since 1990, Team Philadelphia has consistently been the largest team at the US Transplant Games and has continued to grow each year.
For the last eight U.S. Transplant Games since 1990, Team Philadelphia has consistently been the largest team and has continued to grow each year. The 2010 U.S. Transplant Games were held from July 30 to August 4 in Madison, Wisconsin. Team Philly tied for most medals won and was the largest traveling team at the games!
Find Related Info
Team Philadelphia
