Gary Lowe, Chairman of the Australian Organising Committee for the 1997 World Transplant Games, making a presentation to Maurice Slapak, President of the WTGF, during the Council's visit.

Gary in his younger days was ranked No.2 at Light Heavyweight Boxing as an amateur. He is a Senior Referee in Australia and officiates at professional fights, and in fact turned down an International bout in order to host the visit. Gary is the recipient of a donor heart.

Peter Griffin has retired from his position as surgeon to the Cardiff Kidney Transplant Unit. A Cornishman by extraction he served part of his youthful apprenticeship in wordly ways by acting as professional life guard on the Cornish beaches prior to becoming an undergraduate in the Cardiff Medical School. He qualified in 1970 and trained in surgery mainly in Cardiff before teaming up in 1977 with John Salaman to establish a prestigious transplant unit. During his career he performed 700 renal transplants which makes him one of the most experienced transplanters in the country. He has an enduring and enthusiastic interest in the continued well being of transplant recipients best shown by his devotion to the Transplant Sports Association which he has served in many capacities. He was team manager to the Welsh team at the First Transplant Games in Portsmouth in 1978 and has attended every British Transplant Games since then including the three he organised in Cardiff.

His interest in transplant sports extends beyond national boundaries. He was founder secretary of the World Transplant Games Federation from 1987-1996. He has been manager of the British team at all seven World Transplant Games including the most recent one last year in Manchester. One of Peter's greet prices is that the British team has topped the medals table on every occasion andthe overall athletic performances steadily improve.

His many patients and friends in transplantation all over the world wish him well in retirement.

Michael Whiteside - At the 1996 British Transplant Games we saw the first-ever presentation of the Sandoz Award for Achievement. This was presented to the person who, in the judges' eyes, made an outstanding and significant contribution, true to the spirit of the Transplant Games. Transplant recipient Michael Whiteside won the award and was presented with a magnificent silver salver by Martin Lennon of Sandoz Pharmaceuticals. Michael has also competed in the World Transplant Games.
 
 

Gordon White - It is with sadness that we record the passing of a dear and valued friend to many of us. Gordon was small only in his physical size. We shall miss him very much.

Gloria Santini - We regret to report the death of a dear colleague. Gloria who over many years underlined the triumph of human endeavour over physical infirmity. She dominated the Canadian transplant scene for many years and was a sagacious and always kind voice in the Council whose reasoned approach to difficult problems was always constructive and sensible. l can only tell our Canadian friends that we share their grievous loss. She had many friends in many countries and we are honoured to be amongst them.

Held in the beautiful mountains of Salt Lake City this past August 22-25, the 1996 U.S. Transplant Games drew 1,200 recipients of life- saving organ transplants from around the country to compete for gold,silver andbronze medals in 13 different sporting events. The Games offered some stiff competition, but they were also a celebration of the second chance at life that participants were fortunate enough to receive. The 1996 U.S. Transplant Games were presented by the National Kidney Foundation and sponsored by Sandoz Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

Athletic prowess was recognized as was personal accomplishment in the area of organ donor awareness. For the second time, ASTP presented its Outstanding Achievement Award to two transplant athletes who have furthered the cause of organ donation in their return to health and productivity by bring their story and the call for increased donation into their communities and nationally as well.

This Award was presented during the Games' Closing Ceremonies to Trine Engebretson, in the under 18 category, and to Ray Gabel in the over 18 category. Trine has the distinction of being the first liver transplant recipient in the state of Florida. Beating the odds at the age of two with her transplant, she has spent the last 12 years taking her message to the public through local and national media interviews,speaking engagements and even by designing a classroom curriculum on organ donation.

Ray received his new heart on Valentine's Day five years ago. Since then, he has challenged himself far more than anyone would have believed possible. Not only did he win many medals at numerous national and International Transplant Games competitions, he was also one of the first transplant recipients to skydive. He has spoken out on organ donation to local and national audiences and is now professionally involved in the organ donor process through his position as communications co-ordinator for his local procurement organisation.

Actor Larry Hagman served as the Games National Spokesperson, speaking at Opening Ceremonies and presenting swimming and badminton medals. He gave numerous media interviews, spreading the message of organ donation to millions through guest spots on CBS This Morning; Entertainment Tonight and many other shows. Also attending the 1996 U.S. Transplant Games were Danny Mantle, son of baseball great and liver transplant recipient Mickey Mantle; Aron Eisenberg, a kidney transplant recipient and actor who plays Nog on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"; Utah Senator Orrin Hatch and former Utah Senator Jake Garn, who donated a kidney to his daughter.

The 1996 U.S. Transplant Games were four days of stiff athletic competition sure to inspire a lifetime of memories. Each and every participant contributed to the successful achievement of the Games' overarching goal -to showcase the success of transplantation while calling attention to the critical need for more organ donors in the United States.

Defining moments- times when participants and onlookers alike were touched by the event's unique celebration of the human spirit.....

Actor Larry Hagman tells 3.000 people at Opening Ceremonies that the timing couldn't be better - exactly one year ago that night he was being prepared for his 16-hour life-saving liver transplant. The crowd breaks into song - "Happy Birthday, Larry~.

Three-year-old Ryan Branch of Salt Lake City places a gold medal around his mother's neck- his mother who survived breast cancer and a bone marrow transplant just 15 months ago then went on tc win four gold medals in swimming and one in track and the title "Outstanding Female Athlete ".

Lisa Arment, a young woman from lowa, runs to the stage jubilantly after being named recipient of the Mickey Mantle Courage Award, followed by an older couple whom we assume are her parents. She takes the microphone to introduce them and we learn they are the parents of her organ donor. She has come to compete at the Games so she can meet the family who has given her back her life through a kidney and pancreas transplant.

A couple of months ago the TRANSPLANT GAMES ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA (TGASA) was accepted as members of the National Sports Council. This is the ruling body for all sport codes in South Africa. We have been put under the "special sports" section. Up to now everyone has tried to force us to fall under the "disabled" umbrella, which we would not accept. We are now entitled to some benefits as other sports organisations are.

A month ago the Department of Sport and Recreation together with the National Sports Council, both from the Western Cape, suggested we hold a National Transplant Sports Festival early in 1997, to enable us to select the team for Australia. They also want to use this as a "development" project for those who do not believe in exercise. Through these two departments a "Project Management and Fund-raiser" firm has become involved, as TGASA does not have the finance to fund an event such as this.

We are looking at this event taking place from the 3rd to 5th April 1997. A banquet will be held on the evening of the 5th when the National team, who will be entitled to National colours, will be announced. We have had to work out qualifying times to assist us, and also to make sure sponsors money is not used for a holiday. Transplants who do not meet with these qualifying standards, and still wish to go,will be entitled to go, at their own expense, but not in National colours. To be able to get National colours now is very exciting for us.

We have worked the qualifying times out by taking the third place from the Manchester World Games, and adding 5%. This will cover the swimming and track and field events, together with cycling.With the non timing events, participants have to prove themselves at their clubs, who will be asked to submit a report on the participants ability.

The events at the "Festival" will be the same as we have at the World Games.

I trust this information will be of interest. We are very excited about it all, as TGASA is a very young organisation, established in 1994. The last National games were held in South Africa more than 10 years ago.

Regards and best wishes from all in South Africa and a happy healthy 1997.

HILARY FINCHAM (Mrs)
SECRETARY, TRANSPLANT GAMES' ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA

News from JAPAN

VIVA TRANSPLANTATION (Chairperson Ms Harue Kimura) is a voluntary organisation for transplant recipients, their families and supporters of organ transplantation. It aims to cultivate a better understanding of organ donation not only by sending competitors to the 'World Transplant Games' but also by holding various concerts and symposiums.

VIVA TRANSPLANTATION took part in the International Transplant Congress in Kyoto, Japan on 31st August 1994 with 'Viva Transplantation - Making dreams come true with the World Transplant Games Athletes'. After this event the World Transplant Recipients Meeting was held during 'Tokyo Ours''96, a festival for the people of Tokyo which took place for four days from 7th September 1996. It was a great pleasure to meet 20 members including 13 transplant recipients and doctors and nurses from 5 countries.

The World Transplant Recipients Meeting was arranged in the middle of August. As only two of the delegates spoke Japanese- Ms Wirune from Thailand and Ms Dwaun from Hong Kong - I decided to ask the Tokyo Volunteers Centre for interpreters and found five volunteers; two for English and one each for Thai, German and Korean. This enabled information to be given to delegates without any language worries.

In the seminar room at the National Olympic Memorial Youth Centre, we arranged the tables in a circle so that we could all see each other. After introducing ourselves, we had a serious discussion on topics such as the present transplant situation problems faced by each country.

English speeches were translated into Japanese and then into the other various languages for the delegates which naturally gave the impression of being in the arrivals lounge at an international airport with all the different languages being spoken at once.

This time, it was impossible for us to provide a conference room with facilities for simultaneous interpretation. However, I would like to provide such a room next time. I am sure that an interpreter sitting beside the speaker rather than the usual simultaneous interpretation system gives a more human touch.

Ten years ago, I was very impressed with the volunteer interpreters (except for Japanese) at the 7th World Transplant Games in Hungary 10 years ago enabling us all to cultivate a better understanding and friendship. I am sure that the volunteers who worked with us at 'Viva Transplantation' developed an increased understanding of organ transplantation although they were not interested in this problem when they started.

After the conference, we went by bus to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office in downtown Tokyo in the Metropolitan Square surrounded by skyscrapers and the Assembly Hall for the Samba Carnival. Foreign transplant recipients wore their national costume and the dancers of the Japanese students' samba group who played the music were very lively and energetic and expressed their 'appreciation of good health and life'.

Many of the Tokyoites present will now have a better understanding of the new cultural movement and international exchange for transplatation. I am planningto hold another'WorldTransplantees Meeting' and Samba Carnival in the future.

A better understanding and acceptance of culture, manners and customs, international exchanges are a more effective method of working towards international peace. I hope therefore, people will have better understanding of the transplant issues through this kind of international exchange programme for transplant recipients.

Finally, I would liketo express my sincere appreciation and thanks to the members from Korea, Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong and Germany who attended the meeting.

 

Last modified: 11 May 2000