Australia’s most inspirational sporting event, the Australian Transplant Games, is held every two years. The Games provide living proof of the success of transplantation and encourage all Australians to discuss organ and tissue donation with their families.
The 13th Australian Transplant Games will be held in Newcastle, NSW, from September 29 through to October 6, 2012. The Games will bring up to 1,000 competitors and their families from all across Australia and various other countries together in Newcastle to celebrate their renewed life. For many people, competing in the Transplant Games provides an added incentive to regain health and fitness following a successful transplantation and are an important step on the path to returning to a normal life. Others use the Games as an opportunity to meet and socialise with fellow transplant recipients. For all competitors however, the Games are an opportunity to demonstrate how they are living life to the fullest following their recovery.
The Games bring competitors of all ages, historically from around 3-75 years of age, together to compete in a multitude of sports and activities ranging from chess, Scrabble and lawn bowls up to higher end sports such as swimming, athletics, squash, tennis, basketball and many more.
As well as the health benefits to organ recipients, the Transplant Games also serve to further promote the issue of organ and tissue donation within Australia. The Games feature a number of community events and open with the DonateLife Harbour Fun Run along the picturesque Newcastle Foreshore and Opening Ceremony featuring a performance by John Paul Young. Events such as these provide a unique opportunity for Transplant Australia to engage with the whole of the Newcastle and Hunter regions and beyond and heavily promote the DonateLife message of ‘Discover, Decide, Discuss’.
The essential message of the Games is for all Australians to ‘ask and know their loved ones wishes’ about organ and tissue donation.
For more information, go to the Games website.
