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2018 Transplant Games

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Fr Pat:
     I have posted something at our FaceBook page, but I thought I would post here as well, for those who might not use FaceBook.
     The 2018 Transplant Games (www.transplantgamesofamerica.org) in Salt Lake City were a great experience, especially in meeting so many other living donors from throughout the country. I don't have the total number of living donors who attended, but will post it when I get it. But for recipients a new official "Guinness World Record" was set at the Games for "largest number or organ transplant recipients gathered in one place at one time for a photo": 540 recipients! Lovely to see.\
     But I would like to share 2 things of special interest to living donors that I learned in some of the many workshops offered during the Games.:
1. The "American Society of Transplantation" explained their lobbying work in Washington to influence legislation in favor of organ donation and the long-term care of recipients. But they explained that they also work hard on legislation to protect living donors from being hit with higher post-donation insurance rates, and legislation in favor of more medical leave for living donors.
2. The workshop on psychological health of transplant recipients also paid serious attention to the problem of post-surgery depression among living donors. At least in some hospitals there is good recognition of the problem and efforts to follow up on the psychological health of living donors.
     The next Transplant Games will be in Meadowlands, New Jersey, in July of 2020.

elephant:
Hey Fr. Pat that gives me a goal!  In 2020 I will be still be a kidney donor but will also have a proctocolectomy (actually happening next week, with a second operation planned after Thanksgiving). But now I have something new to start training for.  For sure I can run.  Too bad they don't have a weightlifting event, that's my other love.   But maybe I can learn to chuck the shot put and disc by then.  It is going to be in my neighborhood (New Jersey) at last.  Love, elephant

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