Team Philadelphia is heading to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for the 2008 U.S. Transplant Games fromJuly 11-16, 2008! All transplantrecipients, donor family members, living donors, family members,friends and transplant professionals from Eastern Pennsylvania,Delaware and Southern New Jersey arewelcome to join Team Philadelphia and celebrate the success of transplantation. The Transplant Gamesis a four-dayOlympic-style athletic competition coordinated by the National Kidney Foundationfor recipientsof organtransplants. The sporting events include: badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling,golf, racquetball,5K road race, swimming, tabletennis, tennis, track & field and volleyball.Since 1990,the National KidneyFoundation has coordinated the Games opento anyone whose most recent lifesavingsolid organ transplant-heart, liver, kidney, lung, intestine, pancreas and/or heterologous bonemarrow- and has been functioningfor at least six months. As much as the Games is an athletic event that calls attentionto the successof organand tissue transplantation, it is also a celebration of life among recipients, their families,and friends as well asan opportunityto honor our nation’s donors and their family members.

It is anticipated over 7,000 athletes, friends and families, living donors, donor families, health care professionalsand spectators willbe in attendance at the 2008 U.S. Transplant Games. Athletes have ranged in age from 18months to 80 years old. Living Donors,donor families and transplant professionals can participate in an arrayof recognition ceremonies and other special events. The TransplantGames give you the opportunity to meetother transplant recipients, donor families and living donors from around the country,share your transplant story,honor your donor, improve your health and fitness and support the thousands of other patientswho are still waitingfor theirsecond chance at life.

  Special thanks to Team Philadelphia donors and their families

Team Philadelphia would like to acknowledge and thank all of the donors who gave the gift of life, both living and non-living.  Without their generous gift, many would not be alive today. As V. August Cheatham stated, “ We need to help people capture the energy… the imagination… the miracle of what can happen when someone remembers that in order for there to be a transplant, there needs to be a donor.”  The donors make it all possible for people to live and compete in the U.S. Transplant Games and exemplify the success of transplantation.