New Jersey resident and kidney recipient, Louie Celiberti poses for a picture before returning to the court.

July 11th-16th, New Jersey transplant recipients along with 1,200 other recipients of life-saving organ and bone marrow transplants, traveled to Pittsburgh to compete in the 2008 U.S. Transplant Games presented by the National Kidney Foundation.

The Transplant Games, an Olympic-style athletic event, started in 1990 in Indianapolis, began as a way to call attention to the critical need for more organ donors, highlight the success of transplantation, and honor the donors who made it possible.

This year celebrated the 10th biennial U.S. Transplant Games with over 7,000 athletes, donor family members, living donors, and supporters in attendance. Athletes competed for gold, silver, and bronze medals in 12 different sporting events including, track and field, swimming, basketball, volleyball and more.

This event helps bring awareness to the 100,000 people currently on the transplant waiting list as well as the 18 people who die every day because of the critical shortage of organ donors.

The next Transplant Games will be held in Madison, Wisconsin in 2010, July 30th -August 4th. For more information please visit www.transplantgames.org or call 866-TX-GAMES.   

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