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20.01.2022 World Transplant Games 2019, highlights from the NewcastleGateshead Games World Transplant Games Federation NHS Organ Donation Westfield Health MLS Contracts Ga...teshead Council Newcastle City Council Active Sunderland NewcastleGateshead Northumbria UniversityNewcastle University The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust NewcastleGateshead See more
19.01.2022 On August 2019, myself, my mother and my older sister Stephanie travelled to Great Britain to compete in the World Transplant Games, which took place in Newcast...le. A week before the event, we started off the trip in London. After four days there we spent a day in Oxford followed by two days in York. We then headed to Newcastle for a week and that’s when it was to time knuckle down! The purpose of the World Transplant Games is to celebrate a second chance of life and raise public awareness for organ and tissue donation. The games show off successes of giving these people a second chance to live. I was competing because I had a liver transplant back in March 1999 when I was 5 months old (a big deal for a baby at that age) I competed in seven events and these were: - 5km Road Race (Silver) - 10km Cycling Time Trial - 30km Cycling (pouring rain that day) - 1500m Race - 5km Walk-Race (Bronze) - 4x100 Relay - 4x400 Relay The event started off with a parade through the streets of Newcastle towards the Sports Centre. There were teams from over 50 countries around the globe such as France, Italy, Iran, Germany, Argentina, Spain, Brazil, Ireland, China, United States, Thailand, South Africa, Hungary, Sweden, Croatia, Mexico, Britain (local), Switzerland, Scotland, Denmark, Norway, Russia, Uruguay, Japan, India, Netherlands, Columbia, Greece, Israel, Canada and many great places. The next days saw us competing in our first events. Mine was the 5km road race where I placed 2nd in my age group (18-29) and 8th place overall, the other event was the 5km Walk-Race where I came 3rd in my age group and 5th overall. I had trained for the event, but I felt like I was simply going through the motions, not feeling very enthusiastic about the occasion. It wasn’t until we got to Newcastle with the parade and opening ceremony, that it all became clear. I wasn’t the only one doing all the hard work. It was a team effort and many fellow aussie team members were putting in the effort: - Tara Lwthr Bronze in 200IM Women’s - Ross Minichilli 4 Golds in 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m freestyle, 2 Silvers in 50 Butterfly & 4x50 Freestyle and 3 World Records in 50m, 100m, 200m Freestyle - Michael MacKinnon: Bronze in 200m Freestyle, 50m Freestyle & Silver in 4 x 50m - Troy Scudds Silver in Triathlon - Michelle Daley - 5 Golds & 1 Silver - Tamaryn Elizabeth Bronze, 30k Cycling - John Coman - Sliver in 50m Freestyle & Bronze in 200m Freestyle - Josh Yates (Australian flag bearer) finishing the last event of the games (despite being visually impaired) Although not all the team members received medals, they still committed to the event and did quite well (whilst others were there to support their family and friends), and they should be proud of themselves: - Jo Armstrong - Emily Bloomfield - Thor Bloomfield - Dana Carroll - Susanne Carroll - David Drewett JP - Robyn Dinnar - Nick Farley - Mark GD - Bruce Giles - Robyn Giles - Deb Gowdie - Sandra Holzknecht Hampton - Anne Hayes - Richard Hayes - Leo Hehir - Louie Hehir - Matty Hempstalk - Margaret Hill - Dan Hoepner - Dave Howard - Louisa Ira - Sam Ira - June Kearns - T Joe Kearns - Mick Kennedy - Barbara Lee - Maurice Lesley Howe - Kathy McLeod - Stuart McLeod - Jemma Neilson - Relyta Neilson - Sinclair Newey - John Purdy - Murray Rose - Lam Sar - Esther Scott - James Sheppard - Sonja Simpson - Bradley Stanley - Gerry Stanley - Katie Stanley - Keiran Sullivan - Charmaine Stroet - Chris Tew - Graham Tew - Paul Turner - Michael White - Melissa Wrightson - Jane Yates (Also including Roy Davis, our team attaché) Congratulations to everyone on the team for putting in their time and effort, and I look forward to participating in the next World Transplant Games in Houston, Texas 2021 and many other future world games down the track. It was amazing to see thousands of transplant recipients from all around the world who’ve been given a second chance to live and take part in a variety of sport activities such as athletics, cycling, swimming, archery, tennis, football & various other activities. None of us transplant recipients would’ve been around and full of life if it hadn’t been for the kindness of families who, in the midst of grieving for their recently deceased love ones, agreed for the organs to be donated. In my case, a family in Adelaide was in mourning of a sudden loss of their little girl, yet they agreed to donate her liver to a dying baby boy halfway across the country. Because of this, I’ve been given the opportunity to live and bring so much to others, which I’ve been able to do over the past 20 or so years, all thanks to that little girl from Adelaide. Why did these people need transplants in the first place? When one organ breaks down, it puts the rest of the body at risk and the only option is to have an organ transplant as quick as possible. Many organ donors donate at their death. While most of the body cannot be saved, some parts can be used to save another’s life. Once the organs arrive at whichever hospitals different patients are at, it’s time for the surgeons to get the operation underway and save the patients. Once the patients have the new organs in place, it means they’ve been given a second chance to live. However, because the organs were never theirs to begin with, their bodies are likely to reject the organ and try to kill it and of course the body can’t function without it. Which is why transplant receipts have to take anti-rejection tablets daily (bit like having to brush your teeth, wear deodorant, have a shower etc) to prevent their bodies from rejecting the organs. So basically the wounds will never heal, and the recipients will carry them for the rest of their lives. For some people, it can be quite a traumatic thing for them, because they can be unsure from time to time whether or not they’ll be able to make it. We’ve all had quite tough journeys of course but thank God we’ve survived them so far. Right now there are so many people around the world on the waiting list for an organ transplant: - Croatia, 256 - Ireland, 325 - Scotland, 400 - Norway, 437 - New Zealand, 550 - Uruguay, 1000 - Sweden, 1173 - Australia, 1400 - Canada, 4500 - Spain, 5480 - Peru, 5859 - UK, 6080 - Italy, 6545 - Brazil, 7800 - Germany, 9400 - China, 13 000 - France, 18 793 - Japan, 40 000 - India, 60 000 - United States, 114 000 As you can see, it’s quite serious and sadly there are people who die from an organ failure (mainly kidney, liver, heart or lung) every day when they could’ve been saved by an organ transplant. It can happen to anyone, at anytime, regardless of age or health. I got affected at the start of life and was only a 5 months old at the time, and having a number of hospital visits afterwards got quite overwhelming, but that’s just my experience. We need more people to support organ donation. If you aren’t listed as a donor, please consider it. Tell your family and friends if you want to save lives through organ donation, join the NHS Organ Donor Register. All you have to do is go to this website https://transplant.org.au/. It only takes a few minutes to register and I guarantee you that if you do take part in this, you will touch the lives of often complete strangers in profound ways with their eternal gratitude.
19.01.2022 It was with tremendous sadness that we share the news that Life Member Dr Antony Harding passed away over the weekend. Tony, from Launceston, Tasmania, enjoyed 32 years of extra life with his liver transplant. He often shared the story that the first thing he accomplished following his transplant was sky-diving. For more years than we can remember he was the resident historian for Transplant Australia maintaining every record of each World and Australian Games. So much so whe...n you now look back and wonder about his first games and when he was NSW Chair, you want to ring the resident historian to check because he knew everything! But I am reliably told his first Games were the World Transplant Games in Sydney in 1997. He became a Life Member in 2007 and was Chair of the Australian Games in Newcastle in 2012. A former Flag Bearer, Tony’s other claim to fame was disqualifying the then President of the World Transplant Games Federation, Olivier Coustere, for arriving late to his time for petanque in Thailand. Tony loved rules. Everyone at the office and the NSW Committee is very saddened by this news from his sister. Tony had recently gone on to dialysis and was hoping to receive another liver and a kidney transplant. Details of Tony’s funeral details are not known at this time. As soon as we know we will let you know.
18.01.2022 Dear Members, Just advising that from now until the end of July 2020 all functions, development days and events are cancelled. This decision affects all States. At the end of July this will be re assessed.... Regards TA NSW Committee
17.01.2022 Winter Games | On day 1 our only Australian representative Lisa Cuthbertson won Gold in the Giant Slalom at the World Transplant Winter Games in Banff, Canada. ...On hand to congratulate Lisa was our very own CEO and President of the World Transplant Games Federation, Chris Thomas. Well done Lisa. See more
09.01.2022 This is our major fund raiser for the year, book a table, bring some friends or come by yourself. Hope to see you there.
08.01.2022 Hi All limited numbers, so be quick.
07.01.2022 Today we say goodbye to our brother. Christopher Hill May he rest in peace. Condolences to his family.
