Everybody came away a winner at the Transplant Games of America
Walking next to transplant recipients and among families was humbling
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I’m just back from taking part in the Transplant Games of America, where 966 transplant recipients and living donors gathered in Denver to make history. The event saw the most organ transplant recipients and living donors gathered in one place, meaning we made the Guinness Book of World Records! My heart is filled with so much gratitude.
At the games, which hosted several athletic events, I took part in a basketball competition, and my teammates and I played our hearts out, further demonstrating the power of our new organs. If I had tried to do this before my transplant, I wouldn’t have been able to keep up, even with supplemental oxygen.
Making connections
Lara Govendo attends the Transplant Games of America with her husband, Chris. (Courtesy of Lara Govendo)
The games’ opening ceremony was especially powerful, and featured each team sharing the impact of organ donation as donor families held aloft photos of donors. Experiencing both sides of organ donation touched me on a soul level.
I also got to connect with old friends from all over the country and the world. It felt like no time had passed as I ran into the arms of dear friends I hadn’t seen since the last games I attended in 2018. Picking up where we left off, checking in about health updates, as well as all the living we’ve gotten to do since we last saw each other was heartwarming.
My husband, Chris, got to meet people in the transplant community for the first time, and our team managers from New England Donor Services were there for the competitions, too.
Pharmaceutical companies, nonprofit organizations, and businesses that represent pieces of the transplant puzzle were also present, with everyone swapping personal stories and sharing in the positive energy.
Lara Govendo gears up for the basketball competition for Team New England at the Transplant Games of America. (Courtesy of Lara Govendo
To witness the impact of organ donation in real time on such a grand scale was surreal. Walking beside transplant recipients and among living donors and donor families was a humbling reminder about how each decision to be an organ donor, either through an act of selflessness or because of tragic circumstances, brings hope to so many people.
With my own journey of challenges and triumphs with cystic fibrosis, hearing the stories of other people brings a level of connection that words are unable to express. Each story makes me feel less alone and also helps to assure others that they are in good company. The youngest participant at the games was 2, while the oldest was 92, according to Bill Ryan, the CEO of the Transplant Life Foundation, which sponsors the games.
I didn’t meet a stranger while I was there, but instead added more members to my family. It was a deeply meaningful experience and I look forward to attending the next games in two years.
I wouldn’t have chosen this life, but I’m immensely grateful that mine was saved through a double-lung transplant eight years ago.
Because of this, I get to be a part of an incredible community of people who are excited to be alive.
Note: Cystic Fibrosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cystic Fibrosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cystic fibrosis.
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