World Transplant Games

[Guest guest]

We returned a few days ago from a great experience at the World Games

in London, Ontario. Canada was one of three or four countries who had

full rosters of recipients (150 were allowed per country). There were

recipients from 46 countries, including 45 children, who along with one

supporting person, had their way paid by the company that makes

Prograf. They were willing to pay for 100 children and supporting

persons (two hundred total) but I don't think it was widely known.

The opening ceremonies were a blast with everyone entering country by

country into a darkened arena with the music blaring and the spectators

and other recipients cheering wildly. Our team, as the host country,

came in last, just prior to a group of donor and donor family members.

They got the loudest cheers. I met with some of my friends from the US

team who were just in front of us on march in. We had dinner with these

friends and some family after the opening ceremonies and a chat with

one of my former patients who was in London to volunteer at the Games

while waiting for a 3rd kidney tx. The entertainment following our

entry was spectacular. Everyone was really excited to get on with the

competition the following day.

For me, the on-site training began on Monday at the tennis and golfing

venues. Transportation was provided to the tennis courts which were

south of London in the town called Lambeth. We were allowed to practice

for a few hours so I got a chance to know my doubles and mixed doubles

partners, neither of whom I had played tennis with before, although I

had met Kathy, my mixed doubles partner at the Canadian Games in

Sherbrooke in 2005. We also got a chance to meet some of the other

competitors. One of the Dutch team members approached me with a request

for my Canada umbrella ( a red and white paneled umbrella with maple

leaves on the panels, we spun them overheard and to the side as we

entered the arena for the opening ceremonies; they became a big trade

item after the games).

After the tennis practice session, I drove to our B & B (we decided not

to stay at the dorms because Caroline and wanted a place to swim

and there was no lower price for supporting persons, same fee as for

competitors) to change for golf. And then on to the opposite end of

town to the golf course. I played my practice round with one of my

Canadian teammates and a fellow from France who would go on to win in

his age group on Thursday. The Forest City National Golf Course is a

very nice and demanding course. I had a great round despite the heat

and humidity.

The climatic conditions continued the next three days for the tennis

and golf competitions. It was hot and sticky. The tennis was played out

over two days. And delays were the normal as the European teams refused

to play indoors (this club had 9 indoor hardcourts and 6 outdoor clay

courts). We were about 5 hours behind after a few hours time. The play

was at a very high level with some of the competitors being former

world ranked players. I and my partners ended up losing to the gold

medal and silver medal winners, unfortunately not far enough into the

competition to get a medal ourselves. Because my partner in doubles was

younger we played in the next age division down. In the mixed they

formed one division for all the teams. In golf I came in the middle of

the pack in my age group. But again I had wonderful people to play

with. In my group was a very funny fellow from Ireland who was full of

stories and jokes. The other fellow was from Sweden and he was very

nice. All three of us had liver transplants for various reasons.

On Friday was got to see some of the track and field prellminary heats.

One of my friends from the Canadian Games, a fellow PSCer who switched

to track events this time out, ran well and one his heat in the 400

meters. When we came back for the closing ceremonies on Saturday, Rob

won a silver in the 400 and a gold in the 4 x 100 meter relay.

Caroline, and I had gone to Windsor on Friday and convinced my

Mom to drive back with us on Saturday to see the closing ceremonies. It

was very emotional for my Mom to be there and to meet our friends at

the Games. The closing ceremonies were delayed by the medal

presentation for the track events. The athletes formed a big circle

around the outside of the track and then ran into the middle of the

field to exchange greetings and start trading pins and uniforms. We

gave our pins to and she was very successful in trading them for

other pins and team souvenirs.

The best part for me was to see old friends, make new ones, and to be

among so many other recipients from all over the world. Normally we are

in the minority. But here we were in the majority. A strange and

wonderful situation. Despite not staying at the dorms, we had dinner

with some new friends. One evening we were out to dinner with a heart

tx recipient from Boulder, Colorado who heard of us from the Denver

conference and contacted us about meeting at the Games. Gaie is a

lovely person and she won a couple of medals at the Games in swimming,

including a gold medal. A fellow I had contacted about playing doubles

(he already had a partner it turned out) met us in person. Gaston

decided it wasn't right that everyone didn't get a medal, so he

arranged to have participant medals made and arranged for them to be

sold at a nominal cost. Another friend attended just to see old friends

from previous games. She had a second double lung tx this year and

unfortunately, may lose one of her eyes because of a missed diagnosis

of a skin cancer on her eyelid.

The next Canadian Games will be held in Edmonton, Alberta next August

2006. The next US Games are in Louisville, Kentucky in July, 2006. The

next World Games are in Bangkok, Thailand in 2007. We hope to get to

all of them if we can. I encourage all of you to consider attending for

sure and competing if you can.

Aubrey, MD

PSC '81, UC '90, LTX '98, Recurrence '05

[Guest guest]

Wow,

Thanks for the wonderful report! I'm so glad that all went well.

Thanks for adding to our positive energy today!

Lee

> We returned a few days ago from a great experience at the World Games

> in London, Ontario. Canada was one of three or four countries who had

> full rosters of recipients (150 were allowed per country). There were

> recipients from 46 countries, including 45 children, who along with

> one

> supporting person, had their way paid by the company that makes

> Prograf. They were willing to pay for 100 children and supporting

> persons (two hundred total) but I don't think it was widely known.

>

> The opening ceremonies were a blast with everyone entering country by

> country into a darkened arena with the music blaring and the

> spectators

> and other recipients cheering wildly. Our team, as the host country,

> came in last, just prior to a group of donor and donor family members.

> They got the loudest cheers. I met with some of my friends from the US

> team who were just in front of us on march in. We had dinner with

> these

> friends and some family after the opening ceremonies and a chat with

> one of my former patients who was in London to volunteer at the Games

> while waiting for a 3rd kidney tx. The entertainment following our

> entry was spectacular. Everyone was really excited to get on with the

> competition the following day.