There are thousands of people alive today, because of successful organ transplantations. But there are many thousands more people waiting for this life-saving treatment.
The need for a life-saving transplant knows no boundaries – it affects people regardless of their gender, age, religion or ethnicity.
The Australian Transplant Games raises public awareness of the importance and benefits of organ donation by demonstrating the health and fitness that can be achieved post-transplant. Our athletes are ambassadors for the value of organ donation, striving towards full rehabilitation through exercise, camaraderie and healthy living, and giving hope to people on transplant waiting lists all around the world. The Australian Transplant Games offers recipients a way of saying ‘thank you’ to those who made it all possible – living and deceased donors, their families, health professionals, researchers and carers. Without them, there would be nobody on the starting line.
In Australia today, there are around 1,800 people currently waitlisted for a life-saving transplant. An additional 12,000 people are on dialysis and may benefit from a kidney transplant.
Every Australian may one day have the chance to save a lives. We ask everyone to take two simple steps:
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples who are the traditional custodians of the land on which we gather for the 2024 Australian Transplant Games. We recognise their connections to land, sea, and community and pay our respect to their elders past and present.