BUSSELTON residents Josh Yates and Sue Thompson are participating in next month’s Australian Transplant Games.
The Australian Transplant Games, held every two years, celebrate the success of transplantation and encourage Australian families to discuss organ and tissue donation.
The event feature dragon boat racing, archery, bowling and swimming, and are open to transplant recipients, donor families, living donors, people on dialysis or awaiting a transplant and supporters.
Mr Yates received a life-saving bone marrow allograft and stem transplant in 2004 at the Princess Margaret Hospital, while Ms Thompson received a life-saving kidney transplant in 1985.
They will both travel to Sydney for the games, which will be held from September 24-October 1.
Mr Yates said this was not the first year he had competed in the games.
“My first one was I think about six or seven years ago,” he said. “This might be my fifth Australian, and I’ve been to two world ones.”
Mr Yates said he got involved with the games to help raise awareness for organ donation, to meet great people, and to promote healthy living.
Ms Thompson said it was great to compete with and against people who had been through the same sort of experiences.
“I have got three kids so it was something that we could do together to promote organ donation,” she said.
Transplant Australia chief executive officer Chris Thomas said transplant recipients came from all over the country to take part.
“For recipients, participation is a way of saying ‘thanks’ to their donor families; for donor families, it’s a way to honour their loved one’s gift of life,” he said. “Our athletes demonstrate living proof that transplantation saves lives.
“They can start a family, play sport, get back into the workforce – all because of the generosity of someone else.”
For more information about the Transplant Games visit australiantransplantgames.com.
To join the Australian Organ Donor Register visit donatelife.gov.au.
