Medical DevicesTransplant Week Training Meet For Team UK
This Saturday 4th July not only marks the beginning of National Transplant Week, but is also Team UK"s last training meet before they jet off to the World Transplant Games in Australia, helping to raise awareness of the ongoing need for organ donors and encourage people to sign up to the Organ Donor register. Lending support for this year"s team in Australia will be David Moorcroft, patron of both the British Transplant Games and Team UK. Moorcroft aims to give his moral support to Team UK, as well as invaluable last-minute tips.
Supported by the International Olympic Committee, the World Transplant Games represent the largest organ donor awareness event in the world, featuring a nine day series of sporting events. The UK Team of 120 athletes will join 1000 others from some 55 countries across the globe, all of whom have undergone an organ transplant. The World Transplant Games takes place on the Gold Coast, Australia 22-30 August 2009.
National Transplant Week is now in its 19th year promoting awareness of organ donation, and together with the British and World Transplant Games aims to highlight the desperate need for organ donors. Despite a large number of the population having signed up to the Organ Donor Register, there are currently nearly 8,000 people in the UK still on the transplant waiting list. Both the British and World Transplant Games aims to bring people together from across the globe who have had a life saving transplant and visibly demonstrate the benefits of organ transplantation.
Team UK will be training at the University of Warwick sporting venues, which is where this year"s Westfield Health British Transplant Games* are being held.
Lynne Holt, UK Team Manager, comments, "At this final training meet, the athletes should now be in peak condition in preparation for the World Games in Australia. David"s attendance also gives Team UK one more chance to tap in to his expertise. The British and World Transplant Games would not be possible without the generosity of the organ donors and the sponsors, who ensure that these athletes can demonstrate the benefits of lifesaving transplantation."
Notes
All the case studies are available for interview. In addition, for further information on the British Transplant Games or the World Transplant Games or for commentary from an expert at Transplant Sport UK, the event organiser, please contact Madeleine Roles, Dominic Dennis or Justine Hoadley at HSL on 020 8977 9132 or email tsuk@harrisonsadler.com
Transplant Sport UK (TSUK) is a registered Charity whose main aim is to raise awareness of the need for organ donation in the UK and worldwide. Through organising sports and social events for transplant recipients, Transplant Sport UK demonstrates the benefits of organ donation and proves that you can lead a normal and active life again after transplantation. For further information on Transplant Sport UK and the British Transplant Games, please visit http://www.transplantsport.org.uk
UK Transplant is the NHS organisation responsible for matching and allocating donated organs. It is part of NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), a Special Health Authority within the NHS that manages the National Blood Service, Bio Products Laboratory, and UK Transplant. For further general information about transplantation, please contact the UK Transplant press office on 0117 975 7518/7475/7477
* The Westfield Health British Transplant Games (BTG) aims to publicly and visibly demonstrate the benefits of a successful organ transplant, whilst promoting the full rehabilitation and wellbeing of its participants and members. By illustrating the power of the gift of life, the Games strive to encourage people to sign the donor register and help save the lives of the 6,000 people in the UK currently on the transplant waiting list. The 32nd British Transplant Games takes place in Coventry on 30th July-2nd August 2009
Transplant UK